A tale from the past
by Kittymui
Summary: ...a red one sprung from the corner of her mouth. At that moment, he finally realized what he had done. He held her lifeless body close to him and cried out his sorrow and regret. And then...he woke up. BanXKag.
1. Prologue: an abandoned library

**DISCLAIMER: **I do not own Inuyasha or any characters of it. And I do not own whatever elements of this story that seem familiar and had already been used by other creative individuals before. But... I do own the idea of mixing all of these elements together into a new story!

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**:  
Hey everybody! It has been a while (again). Yeah, two months was a pretty long break. But honestly, I had some real trouble with my muses and I had a huge writer's block during these two months. It was partly because my parents went on vacation so I had to look after a child who always stays with us during the weekdays. And my inspiration problem is still not solved completely so the first couple of installments will be posted at a bit slower pace than the one I usual keep. So please understand.

Anyway, I do hope this story will be just as fun as the previous ones that I've written, both for you readers as well as for me as the authoress :). But before I start with the story, there are a couple of things I should clarify first. As the Sengoku Jidai will be part of this story; I'll try to keep the structures and elements of that time period as original as possible, but since I've never studied about that period before, I might make some mistakes here and there. So please be easy on me all right?

Furthermore, you only need to know the Shichinintai (here's a link for an image of the group: http : www . inu-yasha . themoon . co . uk / n / shichinintai . php, without the spaces) and the basic evil and good characters of Inuyasha. Bankotsu is the main character of this story, you can search for his image on the same URL I gave you earlier. There's one thing I definitely want you to do before reading this story, namely forgetting the original plot :). This is an Alternate Universe and some things are quite different than in the original series. Like for example: Kagome isn't the reincarnation of Kikyou, the Shichinintai aren't zombies revived from the dead and so on. But if things aren't clear, feel free to ask me.

And last but not least, if you want to be notified whenever I update, just let me know through reviews and I'll add you to my mailing list. I'll be deleting my previous mailing list after I've notified everybody of this first chapter so let me know if you want to be notified again for this story!!

And last but not least, I hope you will enjoy as well as encourage me to write this story to its very end!! Have fun reading!

Yours,

Kittymui

_'Italic'_: thoughts  
-- --: locations  
"...": spoken words  
-.-.-.-: time gap  
CAPSLOCKED WORDS: noises

* * *

**A TALE FROM THE PAST**

-by Kittymui-

**Prologue: an abandoned library**

:: DREAM SEQUENCE ::

_'Where am I...?'_

He found himself standing in a large space.

It looked like a room for gathering inside a fortress of ancient Japan. There were cushions and low dining tables made of wood turned upside down and spread all over the place.

There was only one word that could describe the situation around him:

chaos.

The screaming and wailing of men and women could be heard from the left and right, followed by short periods of hasty trampling and then eventually...dead silence.

_'What am I doing here...?'_

"Yo leader!! What are you spacing out for?!" a low and stern voice pulled him out of his thoughts.

He instantly snapped back into reality and turned to the one who spoke.

It was a young man of his age, who was one head taller than himself. He had a green cloth covering his hairless scalp with its knot tied at the lower backside of his head and its long ends hanging freely behind his back. Two dark-purple stripes ran from his brows horizontally down to his chin and a strange mark of the same color could be seen on his forehead just below the border of the green cloth.  
The man was wearing a green haori and brown hakama. His torso was protected by orange-colored armor that ran to his knees and he had a long dark-purple sash keeping it together at his waist. And around his lower arms and legs, he wore arm and leg protectors made of strong dark leather-like material.

"What should we do now?" he heard him ask. "Burn this place down?"

There was a short moment of silence in which he hesitated. But eventually, he opened his mouth. "Yeah...let's do that."

"All right!"

The orange-armored man took a brown gourd from behind his back and pulled out the cork. He took in a large sip and spewed the gourd's content to the wooden floor.

However, what came out of his mouth wasn't liquid, but a large stream of burning flames.

And his laughter filled the room. "Wuhahaha, run for your lives!! Run before you get burned!!"

Within minutes, the entire room was enveloped by fire.

_'What a horrible sight...'_ he thought to himself as he stared indifferently into the flames. _'We should quickly finish this and leave...'_

Suddenly, a glimpse of black shooting pass an open doorway caught his eyes and he grinned. _'Running away huh?' _he thought tempted.

Without hesitation, he ran towards the open doorway and into a corridor with his large halberd resting over his shoulder.

During his pursuit, he entered a room that had a small mirror standing on a low wooden dresser. He stopped running and approached it with curiosity written on his face. After picking up the mirror, he started looking at himself through the glass.

He saw a young man with blue-gray eyes. On his forehead, there was a strange purplish blue mark with the shape of a cross with pointy ends. Draped over his shoulder was a thin braid made from his long black hair.  
He was wearing a white haori with dark-blue coloring his left shoulder. The same shoulder was partly covered by a white shoulder protector with purple fern-shaped figures painted on it. His torso and half of his lower body was protected by armor with the same color and figures. And around his waist, a red sash could be seen with its two long ends dangling below the knot that was resting against the middle of his stomach.

"It's good to see you again," he smirked at his own reflection.

He dropped the mirror to the wooden floor with a clash and his eyes darted to the left and right. "Give it up! You can't hide from me forever!" he shouted with a loud and clear voice.

For one moment, he thought he had to turn the entire fortress upside down to find the one he was assigned to kill. But he was stupefied when a door of a nearby wardrobe, which was built in the walls, slid open.

_'Talk about being stupid...'_ he thought as he watched a young lady come from behind the sliding doors.

She had long untied raven-black hair reaching her lower back and dark-brown eyes. She was dressed in a light-yellow kimono with red sakura-blossoms randomly embroidered on it .

"You're the hime of the Western Lands?" he asked straightforwardly.

The girl, with a surprised expression on her face, nodded.

He grinned as he readied his large halberd.

Without warning, he stabbed it through the girl's stomach. "You're making it far too easy for me, hime-sama," he chuckled as he looked into her shocked chestnut eyes.

He slowly pulled back his halberd and watched the princess fall down to her knees.

A soft consonant escaped her trembling lips.

"B..."

He was about to turn away and leave but stopped at hearing his own name.

"B-Ban...kotsu..."

Bankotsu widened his eyes and turned to the girl fully.

Two streams of transparent liquid flowed down her cheeks while a red one sprung from the corner of her mouth. Her eyes were filled with sorrow.

"Y-you..." Bankotsu gasped in shock.

Then, a name suddenly flashed through his thoughts.

"K-Kagome...?"

To his surprise, the girl smiled at him before she closed her eyes and started to topple sideward.

At that moment, he finally realized what he had done.

"Kagome!!" he cried as he let go of his bloodied halberd and caught her before she hit the floor.

He held her lifeless body close to him and caressed her soft cheeks.

"NO-O-O-O-O!!!!!!"

:: END DREAM SEQUENCE ::

Bankotsu's eyes shot open. His heavy panting echoed in his ears as he slowly got up from his bed with his hand placed on his sweaty forehead.

_'It's the same dream again...'_ he groaned inwardly as he shifted both his legs over the edge of the bed.

A silent yawn escaped his mouth as he scanned his surroundings.

He found himself in a small room with white walls and a blue-gray carpet, which matched the color of his eyes. The size of the place was just enough for two beds, two desks, a large bookcase and a large wooden wardrobe.

Suddenly, the sound of pulling curtains could be heard and he was forced to close his eyes to protect his retina from the incoming sunlight.

"Geez Bankotsu, you still in bed?!" a male voice complained.

Bankotsu groaned as he slowly opened his eyes again and turned to the person standing in front of the small rectangular window.

It was a young man of his age and he was looking at him. He had short black hair and dark-gray eyes. He was dressed in a t-shirt with palm trees printed on it and a pair of short trousers that people typically wear during summer.

"Oh it's just you Jakotsu..." he mumbled.

Jakotsu has been his roommate from the moment he came to live in this student complex. It surprised him when he found out that he was also studying history just like himself. While it had only been a year since he came here, it seemed almost like they had been friends forever.

Jakotsu frowned. "What do you mean it's just me?" While saying that, his eyes couldn't resist noticing the long hair resting against Bankotsu's back and spread out over the mattress behind him. "You know, " he continued with a smirk. "You really do look like a girl with that long hair of yours."

Bankotsu immediately flashed him a grumpy look and stood up from his bed to make his way towards the wardrobe. "I thought you were going on vacation."

"Man, have you lost your memory? I told you it was today, didn't I?" his roommate replied.

"Oh right, sorry..."

"What's wrong with you today? Did the summer heat fry your brain or something?" Jakotsu asked, trying to hide the concern in his voice.

Bankotsu took out his navy blue college uniform and closed the wardrobe. "No, it's nothing. It's just a bad dream."

Jakotsu walked to his side. "That dream again?"

He nodded.

"You told me about it before. You've been having the same dream over and over again since your childhood, right?"

He nodded again.

Jakotsu thought for a moment with a finger placed on his chin. "You sure you'll be okay on your own for the whole summer? Maybe I should cancel my flight."

"No, I'll be fine. Really," Bankotsu smiled.

"You sure?"

He frowned. "Have I ever lied to you?"

Jakotsu dropped his eyes to the uniform in his friend's hands. "You going to college today?"

"Yeah, it's the last day today and I promised to help out with cleaning up the classroom." Bankotsu explained.

"Hmm okay," his roommate responded as he looked at his watch. "Oops, I have to go now or I'll miss my plane!"

He placed a hand on Bankotsu's shoulder. "You take good care of yourself okay?"

"I will," Bankotsu replied with a smile. "Now go! I'll be fine!"

Jakotsu hesitated for a moment but then a suspecting look appeared on his features. "Don't you dare make a mess out of our room while I'm gone, or I'll strangle you with my bare hands."

Bankotsu returned an arrogant look. "As if you can. If you don't go now, I'll be the one strangling you!"

He watched his roommate pick up a large gray rucksack and make his way towards the door.

"All right! I'm off!" Jakotsu announced while opening the door.

Bankotsu waved his hand. "Have fun!"

After the sound of the closing door, he put the uniform on his bed and started undressing himself of his sleeping outfit.

To his shock, the door suddenly opened again and he quickly hid his torso with his t-shirt in his hands.

"Geez Bankotsu, quit acting like you're a woman! It's not like I've never seen you in your underwear before," Jakotsu's voice sounded from behind the slightly opened door. "Oh well, just wanted to wish you a nice and calm summer. Okay, bye-bye!"

With that, the door clicked again.

Bankotsu sighed as he continued to dress himself. _'I guess he's right.'_ he thought to himself. _'I should have made some plans for myself this holiday.'_

The idea of visiting his parents did cross his mind earlier but he determinedly rejected it afterwards. His facial features formed a sad expression as he reminded himself how determined his parents were about sending him to a shrink after hearing his story about the recurring dream.

This was also part of the reason why he applied for a university that was located miles away from home.

-.- Later -.-

"Hey Bankotsu!!"

Bankotsu raised his gaze and saw one of his friends standing in front of the large gate of the campus.

The young man had short, slightly curled black hair with some highlights in his short bangs. He was dressed in their college uniform and carrying a black rucksack over one of his shoulders.

"Mornin', were you waiting for me?" Bankotsu smiled as he ran towards him.

As he approached his friend, he noticed the presence of another person who was standing behind him.

He figured it was also a student since their uniforms matched. Although Bankotsu could swear he didn't make the acquaintance with a bald student, he still seemed kind of familiar with his dark-brown eyes and pointy chin.

"Have we met before?" he finally asked, looking at the familiar student who was one head taller than him.

He was surprised when the bald student smirked and turned to his friend. "See Suikotsu?! I told you he wouldn't recognize me," he chuckled as he held up his hand. "You lost! Now hand over your wallet!"

At that moment, it struck Bankotsu like a lightning bolt and he walked up to the bald lad. "R-Renkotsu..??" he asked hesitatingly.

"Took you long enough," he responded as he took some bills out of Suikotsu's wallet and threw it back at the owner.

Bankotsu blinked. "What did you do to your hair?!"

His friend turned to him fully. "Well you know, it's getting hotter every year so I thought it would-"

"His girlfriend told him to do it!" Suikotsu cut him off teasingly.

"Shut up!" Renkotsu snapped as he turned away of embarrassment.

"You're girlfriend told you to?" Bankotsu repeated with a raised brow. "But I thought you loved your hairdo!"

"I did!" his friend replied. "But Kagura said it was-"

And again Suikotsu cut him off. "Kagura said this, Kagura said that... Don't you have your own opinion?!"

"Wait until you get your own girlfriend!" Renkotsu spat annoyed as he pointed at the long thin braid that was draped over one of Bankotsu's shoulders. "I'll bet even Bankotsu would cut off his long hair if his girlfriend told him to!!"

"Ha! But the thing is...he doesn't have one yet! So you're just talking crap!" Suikotsu reasoned.

As the three of them walked through the open gate, Bankotsu sunk into his own thoughts while his friends continued to argue with each other.

He couldn't help but notice the great resemblance of his friend Renkotsu and the man of his recurring dream who ruthlessly set everything on fire. If his fellow-student hadn't shaved all of his hair like today, he would never have thought that one of the characters in his mysterious dream would be someone he knew.

But he shook his head slightly. _'It isn't really a big deal when your friends appear in your dreams.'_ he comforted himself inwardly.

He snapped back into reality when he accidentally bumped into someone who was apparently walking the opposite direction.

"Oh, excuse me!" Bankotsu apologized with a polite bow.

When he raised his gaze again, he found himself facing a tall man. He was dressed in the uniform of the same university, but it was white instead of Bankotsu's navy blue one. He had long silver-white hair hanging loosely behind his back and amber-colored eyes that conveyed nothing but indifference.

A soft 'hmpf' escaped the tall man and he walked pass Bankotsu without sparing him another glance.

"Geez, what's his problem," Renkotsu muttered, turning to Bankotsu.

"That's Sesshoumaru Asahara, he's from the last year," Suikotsu explained.

"You know him?" Bankotsu asked as they continued walking towards one of the buildings on the campus.

His friend shook his head. "But he's quite well-known, because of his short temper and cold character."

"However, he wasn't like this several years ago," he continued. "I heard that his personality suddenly changed because of his beloved sister."

Bankotsu turned to his friend. "What happened?" he asked.

"She fell into some strange coma on her 20th birthday and hasn't woken up again ever since," Suikotsu replied.

"That's terrible," Bankotsu said as he dropped his face.

Renkotsu raised a brow. "Why are you sounding so surprised?"

"Exactly," Suikotsu agreed. "His sister is one of our classmates and she's been absent ever since last year autumn. Don't tell me you've never noticed."

"Really? I had no idea..." Bankotsu responded with a clueless expression.

"If only I could remember what her name was, I'm sure you have heard about her before," his friend pouted with a sigh.

"It doesn't matter," he said with a smile. "We better hurry to our classroom since we promised to help out with cleaning."

And the three of them hurried into the School of History building.

-.- Afternoon -.-

"By the way," Bankotsu suddenly turned to his friends while sweeping the classroom floor. "Have you ever heard about the Sengoku Jidai?"

"The Warring Age? Well kind of...we had a guest-lecturer talking about it before if I'm not mistaking," Suikotsu replied as he cleaned the windowsills. "He talked about the four Lands that were always at war with each other. Why do you ask?"

"They mentioned vaguely the fall of the Western Lands," said Bankotsu. "And that it was because the lord of the Eastern Lands succeeded in assassinating the ruler of the Western lands. But what I still don't understand is why nobody stood up against the invasion? Didn't the lord of the Western Lands have any heirs?"

His friend thought for a moment. "On the contrary, the lord you're talking about had two sons and a daughter. The princess, however, was killed during the take-over."

"And his sons?" Bankotsu asked.

"The oldest of the two fought bravely when their fortress was under attack but eventually, he too, died in battle shortly after his father," Suikotsu explained. "As for the younger one..."

"Did he die as well?"

He shook his head. "He went missing."

It took Bankotsu by surprise. "Missing??"

Suikotsu nodded. "He was nowhere to be found during the massacre and his whereabouts remained unknown ever since."

"I see..." Bankotsu responded.

Suddenly Renkotsu broke into the conversation with a duster in his hand. "Well, if you ask me, he was either killed along with his kin or simply just escaped before the whole thing took place.

Suikotsu raised a brow. "You were listening?"

The bald student laughed. "Cleaning isn't really mind-consuming work, you know?"

Bankotsu failed to suppress a smile as he watched his friends', but then he realized something. "Wait a minute," he said as he turned to Suikotsu. "How is it that you know so much about what happened in that period?"

His shorthaired friend chuckled. "My entire family have studied history, remember? I have history running through my veins!" he said proudly with his hand placed on his chest.

"Ah...right..." he responded with a faltering voice.

At the same time, a teacher entered the classroom with a pile of papers in his hands. "You there," he said while looking at Bankotsu, could you please clean the blackboard for me? As you can see, my hands are pretty full at the moment."

"No problem!" Bankotsu smiled.

"Thanks a lot!" the teacher returned a smile before disappearing into the hall again.

He picked up a cloth and began to clean the chalky surface.

Come to think of it, he was the only one with a strange reason for studying history. _'Who else would study the past because of a dream?'_ he thought inwardly.

In his mind, suddenly appeared an image of himself wearing the ancient clothes and armor of the Warring Age.

_'Why am I dressed like that? Why am I always dreaming about that era?'_ he pondered.

The image of himself suddenly faded and made way for the one of the raven-haired girl of his dream, whom he killed with his own hands.

_'Was I assigned to kill her?'_ he reasoned in himself. _'Then why was it that I felt so much guilt and regret afterwards?'_

Before he knew it, he was already standing at the gate in front of the campus again. He snapped out of it when he heard his friends' voices.

"Hey Bankotsu! Any plans for the summer?"

It was Renkotsu who spoke.

But he shook his head. Unlike his two friends, who had eagerly participated in a 20-days expedition in Europe, he wasn't going anywhere.

His friend sighed. "That's too bad. We'll be sure to send you a postcard."

He smiled. "Thanks! You two have fun okay?"

"You bet!!" Renkotsu and Suikotsu responded in unison.

After waving to his friends, Bankotsu turned to the opposite direction and started to walk.

He could surely use the long summer to find out more about the strange dream.

The fact that he chose history above hundreds of other courses was merely because of this reason.

Yet after finishing the first year, he hadn't solved even the slightest part of the mystery.

Bankotsu halted his step when he noticed several individuals standing in front of a fence of an old building.

Among them, he recognized two fellow-students and he decided to ask them about the strange gathering.

"They're going to have this building demolished," said one of them.

"It used to be a library but they had to close it down because of the old infrastructure. It's really a pity because I heard that the books aren't going to be transported to another place," he explained. "And right now, we're trying to contact the city hall to ask if we could explore the place for useful literature. Since this used to be a library, there is a big chance of finding some old antics among the books."

_'Antics huh...' _Bankotsu thought. _'Maybe I would be able to find something as well...'_

His thoughts were cut off when the other student put away his cell phone. "I'm sorry guys, but we aren't allowed to enter the building. They said it was too dangerous."

The gathering adjourned in disappointment and the crowd dissipated.

But Bankotsu didn't walk away. His eyes were still fixed on the old building. _'If I can get in there...maybe I can find something that would explain why I'm having this dream over and over again...'_ he thought.

His gray-blue eyes darted to the left and right. After he made sure nobody was watching, he quickly jumped over the iron fence and entered the small forsaken garden.

He was relieved when he found an unlocked window at the backside of the building and entered before anyone could spot him.

As he walked over the squeaky floors of the corridors, he came across several spaces filled with bookcases and piles of books. Not knowing where to start, he arbitrarily chose a room and starting scanning the titles on the dusty shelves.

Tons of dusty covers entitled with old words crossed his line of vision. There were a lot of titles among them he had never heard of before. But none of them stole his interest.

-.-

After exploring for about an hour, Bankotsu decided to give up and leave. He was certainly going to take a bath when he gets back to the student complex. Never in his life had he seen so much dust and spider webs before.

Yet, when he passed the doorway of the room he lastly visited, something in his mind told him to go back.

It was like a strong restless desire that made him turn around and enter the room again.

The orange color of the setting sun filled the room through a couple of lowered vertical blinds.

Bankotsu slowly scanned his surroundings as he retraced the path he walked before.

Suddenly something caught his eye.

Something was reflecting the sunlight on top op an old wooden chair at the end of the room near the windows.

Without further thinking, Bankotsu walked up to it and gazed down at the glistening object.

It was a thin strand of hair. And he concluded that its silvery surface was the cause of the reflection.

As he lowered his hand to pick up the strand of hair, he noticed the book lying beneath it. He removed the strand of hair as his target of interest shifted and picked up the book, which was lying with its back-cover facing up.

After sweeping off a layer of dust, he turned it over and examined the front-cover.

It was vague and the words were already starting to deteriorate, but Bankotsu could unmistakably read the title written in gold:

_**Sengoku Jidai: the fall of the Western Lands**_

His eyes widened in surprise. Thinking that this might be the book to solve the mystery, he took it with him and left the room.

Luckily, nobody was around when he jumped over the fence and landed onto the sidewalk.

With the book secured against his chest with one of his hands, Bankotsu quickly walked into the direction of the student complex he lived in.

-.- later that afternoon -.-

"There's nothing like a nice cold shower," he said with a pleased sigh as he came out of the bathroom and entered his shared bedroom.

Bankotsu dried his long hair with a towel and tied it into a rough braid before settling himself on the chair in front of his desk.

His eyes fell on the book that was resting on the wooden surface.

As he took a deep breath, he carefully opened the book and began to read the first words written below the word "Preface"...

* * *

**  
Next chapter: Preface, Chapter I**

-.-

No spoilers!

-.-

**Vocabulary:**

**Shichinintai:** literally 'seven-man-group'  
**haori: **short silk jackets  
**hakama:** Japanese pants  
**hime: **princess  
**-sama:** honorific suffix. People add this to the names of people they respect.

-.-.-.-

Posted: 5 December 2004  
Last Edited: 5 December 2004  
Spelling check: YES


	2. Chapter I

**A TALE FROM THE PAST**

-by Kittymui-

**Preface**

A long time ago, in a period of time called Sengoku Jidai, this country was divided into four pieces of lands.

The four lords who ruled over each of these lands were always in dispute with each other about defining the borders; hence there was always war.

Here, a tale shall be told.

One that will unravel the truth behind the fall of the Western Lands.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

**Chapter 1**

It was a long, exhaustive battle. Many lives were lost.

Nevertheless, they had succeeded in defending their front lines. And now, they were finally going home.

The battle started in mid-summer and now they were moving forward on a thin layer of snow. The trees, which these lands were filled with, had exchanged all their autumn leaves for a white blanket of snow. And those that remained evergreen, silently waited for the chance to shower the ones who dared to disturb their winter sleep with flocks of cold snow.

As he strode alongside his army of men, he couldn't help but feel great compassion for the ones who had lost their husband or father in this horrible, yet inevitable carnage.

But then one of the soldiers walked closer to him. "InuTaisho-sama, you don't need to blame yourself. They have fought and died bravely in order to protect their home, their families. Just like you."

He could not deny the comfort he felt after hearing these words. It was a mystery to him at first; why humans would join his army and sacrifice their lives for these lands that were under the rule of a youkai.

But in the end, it became obvious. There was no one who wouldn't fight to protect his or her mate and pups.

_'I guess youkai and humans don't differ that much...'_ he thought to himself.

-.-.- meanwhile -.-.-

"Mommy please! I...I c-can't run anymore..." she pleaded through her panting.

They were running through the forest; creating deep footprints in the snow as they dodged every tree and bush that stood in their way.

It was strange. Her mother once told her that it should be cold when you can see your own breathing in the air. But despite the fact she was seeing a thick mist every time she breathed out deeply she wasn't cold at all.

But she was tired. How long have they been running? She did not know.

When she looked down at her own feet, she realized she wasn't wearing anything to protect them. They were red and bruised, but funny enough; she didn't feel any pain coming from them.

After a while, their running came to an end.

She looked at her mother, who was panting at a high pace only slightly slower than hers. "Mommy?"

"Shh...be quiet," she heard her mother whisper to her.

The next thing she knew was being pulled into some thick bush near several trees and then all became quiet as she watched her mother settle herself against a trunk.

Without further thinking, she moved closer and knelt down to lean against her mother's warm chest.

"A-are we...safe...?" she asked after her breathing slowed down a little.

Slowly, she began to feel a stinging sensation coming from her legs and a flaming heat rushing up her cheeks. It was then that she realized how low the temperature was and how serious her feet were bruised.

Before her mother could reply her question, another one was already burning impatiently inside her mind.

"Will...will daddy be okay...?"

"I...don't know..." was her mother's reply.

The answer wasn't satisfying, but when she saw the sad look on her mother's face, she somehow felt she shouldn't ask any more questions.

A short moment of silence passed as the sounds of the forest filled the air.

But the tranquility didn't last long and was ruined by suspicious rustling of leaves nearby.

Before she could even ask what it could be, she felt herself being thrown out of the bush where they were hiding.

"Run Kagome!! Run away!!!" her mother's voice ordered.

Kagome quickly gathered herself from the snowy floor and turned around.

Horror filled her eyes when she saw the pack of brown wolves approaching her mother. "Mommy!!" she screamed with tears in her eyes.

"Quickly! Run away!!" her mother repeated as she stood protectively in the path between her and the wolves.

Knowing her mother's intention, Kagome gritted her teeth and ran into the opposite direction as fast as she could.

Tears stung her eyes as she jumped over rocky areas and ran through the forest.

But as her vision became blurred, she failed to notice a thin root that was sticking out of the snow and tripped over it.

-THUMP-

"Ack!" she squealed as she made contact with the ice floor with her stomach and face down.

For a moment, she felt she couldn't stand up anymore because of the pain.

"Are you okay?" a low voice surprised her.

Kagome immediately sat up and opened her eyes after sweeping some snow off of her face, only to see a pair of leather boots.

As her eyes traveled upward, she couldn't help but notice how tall the person was who was standing before her.

He was wearing a white hakama and haori underneath a thick armor of gray and brown that was protecting part of his lower body and his torso. There were large spiked shoulder protectors covering both of his shoulders and the edges of a white furry mantle could be seen billowing in the wind behind him. And a silky red sash with long purple ends was tied around his waist to keep his large armor together and two swords close to his waist.

His long silver-white hair was tied into a high ponytail, leaving some rough bangs framing a dark crescent moon mark at the center of his forehead. He had pointy ears and thick eyebrows. And on each side of his face, there was a thick and slightly jagged dark-purple stripe right below his gold-amber eyes.

Without further hesitation, Kagome forced herself to her painful feet and launched herself at the man.

"Please!! Please save my mommy!!" she begged with the remaining strength she had and with tears escaping her eyes.

-.-.-.-

He had ordered his army to stop when he caught some screaming coming from within the forest. After walking for so long, it wouldn't be a bad idea to make a small interruption in their journey back home. Plus it would be wise to find out more about the screaming before going deeper into the woods.

But InuTaisho was quite surprised when a human girl suddenly dashed out of the bushes and fell flat to the earth in front of him.

"Are you okay?" he asked concerned as he looked down at the human.

It was a young child; not much older than five. She was wearing a creamy yellow kimono, which was already smothered in dirt up to her knees before she even made the impact with the floor. Tiny bruises, which were apparently inflicted by branches, could be seen on her bare feet and hands.

He knew he had startled the child with his question as he watched her hastily trying to get up to a sitting position.

The girl had raven-black hair that reached a little below her tiny shoulders. And within seconds, InuTaisho found himself looking into the most innocent pair of dark-brown eyes he had ever seen.

But before he could ask her anything, he suddenly found her leaning against him and clasping his armor.

"Please!! Please save my mommy!!"

He knew the girl was crying when he caught the salty scent coming from her. With much care and gentleness, InuTaisho levitated the small infant from the cold floor until their faces were on the same height.

"Where?" he asked softly, as he didn't want to scare her again. "Where is your mother?"

The girl sobbed while wiping away the tears with the back of her small hands. "T-there..." she pointed with her trembling finger at the direction where she came from. "T-the wolves...they..."

Before finishing her stammering sentence, the child had started to cry again.

InuTaisho frowned and turned around to walk up to one of his men. "Take care of her for me," he ordered as he handed over the infant.

"Yes milord!"

Without hesitation, InuTaisho turned to the given direction and dashed into the woods.

-.-

After a moment, he caught the scent of wolves mixed with blood and decided to track down its origin.

When he arrived at the place where the onslaught took place, the wild animals were already nowhere to be found. All that's left, was the lifeless body of the female victim that was lying on her stomach with her face to the side.

Her hazy navy-blue eyes seemed as they were looking at him, but he knew she was probably looking for her daughter who had ran into him a while ago. Her soft pink kimono was drenched in dark red and shred to pieces at her limbs. Long black tresses were spread out over the white snow and over her back.

_'She probably tried to defend herself...'_ he thought when his eyes caught the thick piece of lumber in one of the woman's hands.

InuTaisho thought about the small helpless child who was going to be broken-hearted if she were to hear about her mother's death and pulled one of his swords out of its sheath.

The sword in his clawed hand pulsated once and immediately the slaves of the underworld hard started to appear before his eyes.

The creatures that gathered around the woman's remnants were bony and wrinkled and each of them was holding some kind of fork-like weapon in their hands. It looked as if they were exploring her body as curiosity filled their big, round eyes.

InuTaisho scowled and raised his sword. _'I'm counting on you...Tenseiga.'_ he said inwardly before slashing at the hideous beings.

After eliminating every single one of them, he sheathed Tenseiga.

The stains of blood on the woman's body disappeared after a short moment, leaving her garment the only thing damaged.

InuTaisho pulled out a red fabric from behind his armor and wrapped it around her body before gathering her up in his arms.

In his heart he was quite relieved that he was able to fulfill the promise he subconsciously made to the little girl.

-.-

As soon as he entered the small clearing where his army was resting, all of the soldiers stood up to greet him properly.

"InuTaisho-sama."

"How is she?" he asked as he walked up to the one to whom he entrusted the infant.

The soldier turned to him with the girl in his arms. "She fell asleep milord," he reported.

InuTaisho's eyes softened upon seeing her calm features.

"What are we going to do now milord?" the same soldier asked.

"Have we rested enough to continue our journey?" InuTaisho inquired, looking at his men.

"Yes milord!"

The demon lord's eyes shifted from the young child to the woman sleeping in his own arms. There was no way these two would be able to survive in this wilderness.

"All right! Let us depart!" he said aloud as he decided inwardly that he would take the two with him back to his fortress.

And so, the group of army had started to move again with their leader walking in the front.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**:  
How did you like this chapter? I hope you liked it as much as I do :). Please tell me with a review okay? Thanks in advance!! 

Also, I want to thank Kyia Star for helping me when I was in a writer's block and when I needed some advise with some elements of this story. Thank you!!

Greets,

Kittymui

-.-.-

_Italic_: thoughts  
-- --: locations  
"...": spoken words  
-.-.-.-: time gap  
-CAPSLOCKED WORDS-: noises

-.-.-

**Next chapter: Chapter 2**

-.-

So what actually happened earlier? What happened to Kagome's father? Why were she and her mother on the run? And most importantly, what are they going to do now? All of this will be told in the next chapter! Please look forward to it!!

-.-

**Vocabulary:**

**Sengoku Jidai:** the age of the country at war  
**InuTaisho: **'Inu no Taisho' means 'the Leader of the Dogs', I think InuTaisho is an abbreviation of it.  
**youkai:** demon  
**Tenseiga: **a sword made using one of InuTaisho's fangs. It is said to be able to heal wounds and bring the dead back to life, although there are times when even the healing ability of this sword is powerless.

-.-.-

**REPLIES ON REVIEWS:**

**Kyia Star: **Thanks :)! I'm already thankful that it didn't end up in rubbish because of the writer's block!

**Skitzoflame:** That's very encouraging to hear, thank you! It's my first attempt in a pairing other than Sess/Kag and Inu/Kag so I hope it would end up well :).

**BelleDayNight:** Thank you so much! To be honest with you, I like your stories very much and I'm very happy to hear that you liked the first chapter of this story :). Come to think of it, I did encounter Bankotsu/Jakotsu pairings when I was searching for good Bankotsu-stories a long time ago (can't deny that I find Bankotsu very sexy as well :P), but I didn't read them, because I totally agree with you that their just good comrades. I hope you will continue to like this story as it continues!

**Wake-Robin: **Thanks! I'll try to update as soon as possible if my inspiration allows glares at muses.

**girlwhoistoolazytologin:** Hahaha, very funny review. I'm glad you like it so far :).

**fallen-anqel: **Wow, loving it already? Thank you very much :)!

**Inukamisashi:** Thanks for telling me that! I'll be sure not to remove you from my mailing list whenever I start a new story!

**Gerbil: **Don't worry, no offense taken. I understand your preference of pairings and your need to voice your opinion but why did you choose to read this story in the first place if it was already made clear that it would be a Bankotsu/Kagome pairing in the summary? But anyhow, this is a fanfic so all kinds of twists are possible as well as the pairings :).

**Guardian-of-the-night: **Hey there! Thanks for being there to read my new story again! Yeah, I have to admit that it is a very typical summary, but it was really difficult to come up with one that wouldn't reveal too much of the future developments of this story :).

**Madam Sorceress:** Thanks! I'm glad you love it! I will try to update as soon as I can!

**j.curl: **Hahaha, yeah, I have to agree with you that there aren't many who choose this pairing to write about. I wish I could wait until I have written 5 or more chapters before posting, but I guess I need more encouragements during the writing than you do, I envy you :).

**azn-sakura17:** Hehehe I know, I wouldn't be able to pair him up with Kagome if he was in character :), so it's a trade-off. But I'm glad to hear you like the story so far! Thanks for reviewing!

Lots of greets  
Kittymui

Posted: 13 December 2004  
Last Edited: 13 December 2004  
Spelling check: YES

**DISCLAIMER: **I do not own Inuyasha or any characters of it. And I do not own whatever elements of this story that seem familiar and had already been used by other creative individuals before. But... I do own the idea of mixing all of these elements together into a new story!


	3. Chapter II

**A TALE FROM THE PAST**

-by Kittymui-

**CHAPTER II**

::DREAM SEQUENCE::

"Mommy...?"

Her dry voice reflected by invisible walls echoed in the darkness as she strode forward in her light yellow kimono and on her bare feet.

"What's the matter? Did you have a nightmare?" a familiar male's voice asked.

Shortly after that, she suddenly found herself standing in a small living room. A low square table stood at its center and there was someone kneeling on a thin cushion next to it.

A warm light, which was radiating from the small oil lamp on the table, made the face of the person visible.

It was a man with short dark hair and dark eyes, dressed in a navy blue haori and white hakama. He was smiling at her with his arms stretched out to her. "Come here," he said with a gentle voice.

There was not a single doubt in her heart as she listened to his words and walked to him.

She settled herself on his lap and waited for two protective arms to wrap around her small body.

The calm silence was soon broken by a female voice.

"Kagome?? Why aren't you in bed??"

Kagome looked up to the woman in the open doorway leading to the corridor. Her long black hair that reached her lower back collided softly against her pink kimono as she approached her.

"She had a nightmare," the man who held her answered in her place.

The look on the woman's face immediately softened. "There's nothing to be afraid of Kagome. It's just a silly dream," she comforted her as she knelt down next to the low table.

To Kagome's surprise, the man suddenly chuckled. "You can't be sure about that you know," she heard him say.

"What do you mean dear?" the woman responded.

Kagome felt a soft kiss on top of her head and she looked up, only to meet a pair of dark eyes.

"There is blood of a powerful priest running through the veins of my little girl, right?" he smiled at her.

The woman snorted. "Well, I don't recall having visions being one of your abilities."

A soft giggle escaped Kagome as she watched the playful argument. And immediately the two adults shifted their attention to her.

"Look! Now we're making fun of ourselves in front our daughter!" the woman pouted.

Kagome turned to the man and waited for a funny response. But instead of a smiling face, she saw a frown and narrowed eyes.

When she shifted her eyes back to the woman, she found a similar expression.

Something was wrong.

"What is it?"

"Shh..."

Kagome felt herself being pushed into the woman's embrace. Before she had the chance to realize what was happening, a deafening crash made her cringe into a ball.

-CRASH-

A dust cloud filled the room and blew out the oil lamp. And Kagome was forced to close her eyes.

When she was finally able to open them, everything was pitch-black except for two figures that were illuminated by the pale moonlight coming through an opening in one of the walls.

One of them was her father.

Kagome wasn't able to see her mother because of the darkness, but she knew she was with her as she felt two arms holding her close to a chest.

The other silhouette was standing in the opening in the wall. It looked like a large hairy creature with a thick furry tail. It was faint, but she could see several smaller shadows multiplying around the thick legs of the big shadow.

"You demons!! You've got a lot of nerve to barge in my house without asking!" she heard her father shout at the creature.

A roaring laughter filled the darkness. "How admirable your courage is, priest," the big shadow chuckled. "Let's see whether or not you can retain your arrogance after I've devoured your woman and child!!"

Kagome heard her mother gasp and realized that the smaller shadows were starting to enter the room and making their way towards them. She clung to her chest as she felt as if the moving darkness was about to swallow them up.

But before any of the shadows reached them, a burst of purplish light sent the front row flying towards the other side of the room.

"Izayoi! Take Kagome and run!!" the father's voice commanded.

"B-but-"

"Listen to me! Just go! I'll catch up with you as soon as I get rid of them!!"

"Uwah!!" Kagome shrieked as she saw another wave of darkness coming at them.

And again, another flash of purple light emerged and sent them flying back to the opening in the wall.

"Go! Take Kagome and go!!" her father cried out loud. "You must live on Izayoi!! Together with our daughter!!"

Suddenly, Kagome felt she was being lift up into the air and she quickly turned to the one who was about to face the monsters alone, only to realize that his figure was becoming smaller and smaller in her vision.

"Daddy-y-y-y!!!!"

::END DREAM SEQUENCE::

Kagome's eyes shot open with tears filling its corners. She quickly got up to a sitting position as she wiped the wetness from her eyes.

As she scanned her surroundings, she found herself sitting on a white futon with a light-green blanket covering her lap, on a wooden floor, in an unfamiliar room. It was partly partitioned by opaque panels with surfaces that had beautiful scenes of trees and birds painted on them. The artwork, even continuing on the sliding doors, formed a colorful panorama in front of her. Her back was facing a wall, consisting of a row of wooden lattice frames and translucent paper made from mulberry bark, segmenting the interior from the exterior.

From the color of the diffused light that seeped through the thin white paper, it looked like it was starting to become dusk.

To Kagome's shock, the doors in front of her suddenly slid open and revealed a young woman dressed in a black kimono with white floral patterns embroidered on the lower half.

The woman had dark brown eyes and medium-long black hair tied into a small knot at the back of her head. "Oh, you're awake," she said surprised. "Don't be afraid, I will get your mother right away."

With that, she left the door open and excused herself into the corridor again.

_'Mommy...?_' Kagome thought puzzled.

The sound of footsteps faded and returned multiplied. And within minutes, another woman appeared in the open doorway. This one was dressed in a dark red kimono with pink blossoms near her legs. Her long black tresses were held together with a white sash and resting on one of her shoulders.

Kagome immediately recognized her mother and hastily got up to her feet. "Mommy!!" she cried. It didn't take long before she felt the stinging pain from the bruises on her small feet and she toppled forward.

Luckily, her mother caught her on time.

She embraced her tightly as if she could fall out of her grasp any time.

It felt good to be in her mother's arms again.

Out of the corner of her eye, Kagome saw another person standing in the doorway and she looked over her mother's shoulder.

It was the man whom she met in the forest.

Eventually, her mother's noticed the distraction and loosened her arms around Kagome while turning to the one standing near the sliding doors. "He's the one who saved mommy's life Kagome," she explained to her.

Kagome carefully set her feet on the wooden floor and slowly walked to the tall man. When she stopped in front of him, the man went down to his knees until their faces were almost on the same height.

Not really knowing what to say, she just blurted out the first sentence that came into mind.

"W-will you...protect us...?"

She was surprised to see a smile appearing on the man's face. "Yes Kagome, I will protect both you and your mother," he replied.

Kagome hesitated for a while. "J-just like...daddy...?"

-.-.-

There was a brief silence.

InuTaisho didn't know how to respond to this. It would be the best if they stayed under his protection until the child's father meets up with them.

But he feared that that day would never come.

The girl probably wouldn't understand even if he told her.

InuTaisho shifted his eyes to the mother and then back to the child. And then he made a decision.

"Yes, just like your father," he responded as he raised his clawed hand and placed it on top of her small head.

"Arigatou," was her meek reply.

Without asking permission, InuTaisho lifted the infant up in his arms and started walking to the white futon at the center of room. "You're still too weak to be out of bed for this long," he reasoned with a gentle voice. "Be a good girl and sleep," he said as he pulled the blanket over her chest.

After making sure she was sleeping, he stood up and turned to leave.

-.-

The demon lord entered the corridor and started walking towards his own quarters. But it didn't take long before he was halted.

"InuTaisho-sama."

He turned around.

It was the girl's mother.

"I-I know I have said this before, but I want you to know how grateful I am and that I'm forever in your debt," she said with a deep bow.

InuTaisho could hardly suppress a smile at witnessing her recurring politeness and submissiveness. But he wasn't very happy to hear what she said next.

"But I do not want to be a nuisance to you. Those wolves would probably attack this place because of us, that's why we-"

"That's why you want to leave...?" InuTaisho finished her sentence for her. "Young lady, you do know who you are talking to, don't you?" he asked with a raised brow. "Do you think that I, the lord of the Western Lands, would allow a helpless woman and her child wander out there and freeze to death? That I would let you and your daughter walk towards your own-"

He immediately swallowed his words when he saw an apologetic and sorrowful expression on the woman's face. He let out a small sigh and walked closer to her. "What I said to your daughter wasn't just a mere sweet lie," he spoke with a calmer voice. "It was a promise."

He raised his hand and cupped one of her soft pink cheeks, startling her. "One that will never be broken," he added with a warm smile.

With that, he turned around and walked away.

-.-

As InuTaisho reached the end of the corridor, he wondered why he wanted to protect the mother and child so badly.

His eyes traveled from the white garden in front of him to his hand, on which he still felt the warmth of the human.

He was pulled out of his thoughts when a human guard walked up to him and knelt down to the wooden floor.

"InuTaisho-sama, both the mother and daughter have settled themselves inside their chamber," he reported.

"Good," the demon lord responded.

"Milord, should we inform Sesshoumaru-sama about the new guests when he comes back?" the guard suggested.

InuTaisho thought for a moment but eventually shook his head. "No need to, I will explain to him myself when the time comes. In the meantime, make sure the mother and child don't go near his quarters."

"Yes milord. I shall take my leave now," the human acknowledged and stood up to leave.

"Wait," InuTaisho halted the guard as he turned to him.

It turned out to be a young man with curled dark hair and dark-gray eyes. A thin katana was attached to his side with a white sash that also kept his white haori and black hakama on their places.

"Yes milord?"

"Tell me young man," he began. "Why have you sworn loyalty to a youkai like me? Weren't humans like yourself despising us because of the endless wars between the four lands? You join the army because you want to protect your homes, but why are you protecting the home of a youkai as well?"

There was a short moment of silence, but suddenly the human guard smiled at him. "Then let me ask you milord," he said. "Have you as a youkai ever killed a human or another youkai just for pleasure? Have you ever sent us out to a battle knowing it would be a losing one? Have you ever ruled these Western Lands half-heartedly even for one second?"

"You are a good ruler InuTaisho-sama," he continued. "Don't ever compare yourself to the other youkai. Your compassion towards us humans had chased out most of the youkai from these lands, but despite that you have still managed to keep the borders unchanged even today."

"It is not just me, but everybody thinks that way about you milord," he finished.

This time, InuTaisho was the one smiling, showing that he was satisfied with the answer given to him.

"I bid you a good evening milord," the guard bowed politely.

"Yes, a good evening to you too," the demon lord nodded.

And both of them walked into separate directions.

-.-

As he took the corridor leading to his own quarters, he began to sink into his own thoughts again. _'My compassion towards humans huh...?'_ he thought about the young human's words. _'If only half of this feeling was inherited by my son...'_

The demon lord actually had the least of intention to have his guards keep an eye on the mother and daughter. But it would probably be for the best if they didn't have to confront his son yet.

With that decided, InuTaisho entered his room and closed the sliding doors behind him.

-.-.-

Several days have passed and Izayoi and Kagome were slowly getting used to their new living environment.

They didn't lack anything regarding clothing and nourishments. It was far beyond what they could possibly wish for. They even had the freedom to explore the fortress whenever they want to.

Except for one place.

Naturally, the mother had noticed that their movements were being tracked most of the time, thought not for what reasons exactly.

When she asked the guards, they replied that it was the lord's order. And when she asked the demon lord why, the answer always ended up involving their safety.

Of course, as an adult, Izayoi would be able to accept this as an adequate reason. But how was she able to make a five-year-old infant understand the limitations to her playfulness and her need to explore?

-.- one morning -.-

Kagome slowly opened her eyes when several rays of diffused sunlight, which was let through by the translucent panels, landed on her face.

She pushed aside the light-green blanket and left the warm futon.

As she stood up and looked around, she realized that the large futon lying next to hers was empty.

"Mommy?" she called.

When no reply came, she made her way to the opaque sliding doors.

_'Maybe I can look around using the excuse to find mommy...'_ she thought to herself mischievously.

In her snowy white kimono and on her matching socks, Kagome pushed open the door and slipped into the hallway.

While passing guards behind their backs, she thought about her mother's words.

_"Kagome, remember not to enter the left part of the fortress."_

_"Why mommy?"_

_"Because they will punish mommy if you do."_

Of course she didn't want her mother to be punished, but what about the things the tall silver-haired man said to her?

_"Yes Kagome, I will protect both you and your mother."_

He wouldn't lie to her. After all, he did save her mother's life.

But what was it with the left part of this big fortress?

Kagome had seen the place from afar. It had a beautiful garden with a small frozen pond in the middle and a tree covered with snow could be seen at the corner.

What started her curiosity, however, was the room that was located in front of the garden. Whose chamber was it? And most importantly, why weren't they allowed to approach it?

_'There's no way I can sleep tonight if I can't solve this riddle!'_ she thought to herself.

And before she knew it, she was already standing in front of the pair of white opaque sliding doors with her back facing the snowy garden.

It was a miracle how she had managed to reach the prohibited area without being noticed. But it puzzled her even more when she realized the absence of guards in this part of the fortress.

In her mind, she hesitated whether or not she should take a peek inside. But her hands, driven by her desire to know, eventually traveled to the spot where the vertical wooden borders met.

Just when she succeeded in creating a thin opening, a soft winter breeze coming from the right sent a shiver down her to spine.

Kagome halted her attempt to open the sliding door and slowly turned her face aside to her right.

Standing next to her was a young boy, not much older than fourteen. He was dressed in a grand white haori with a red pattern gracing his left shoulder and a matching white hakama. A strange furry thing was looping around his right shoulder and ending up behind his back. Armor of gray and black protected his torso and part of his lower body and a long dark-purple sash tied around his middle held it all together.

But what intrigued her the most were his long silver-white hair and the dark crescent moon mark on his forehead along with two pairs of dark stripes below each of his gold-amber eyes.

There was no way she could ignore the great resemblance between this boy and the man who saved their lives and offered them shelter.

But she also couldn't miss the icy glare he was giving her.

Despite his expressionless face, she felt as if she heard her conscience telling her to run away.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**:  
How did you like this chapter? Hope you didn't mind the cliffhanger I put there. I thought it would be a good spot to stop since I'm going to change the point of view :). Anyway, please tell me what you think okay?

Most of you are probably enjoying the winter holiday right now, if so I wish you a very nice time!!

Greets,

Kittymui

-.-.-

_Italic_: thoughts  
-- --: locations  
"...": spoken words  
-.-.-.-: time gap  
-CAPSLOCKED WORDS-: noises

-.-.-

**Next chapter: Chapter III**

-.-

I guess you can all guess who's room it was that Kagome was planning to explore :). The next chapter will start with from his perspective. How will he react to the intruder? Will his hatred towards humans frighten her and scare her away? Or is it the contrary?

-.-

**Vocabulary:**

**futon: **a traditional Japanese cotton mattress. It can be filled with foam, wool, polyester or a combination of fibers.  
**arigatou: **thank you  
**youkai: **demon

-.-.-

**REPLIES ON REVIEWS:**

**Rhexi:** Hahaha, actually I don't think I'm able to sap away your talent, because I'm sure you have your own unique way of writing stories :). But thanks! I'm happy to know that you find my story fascinating!

**fallen-anqel:** Good to hear that you're back on track! Thanks for reviewing! Euhm, about the Sess/Kag thingy. I can't let them fall in love with each other because that would be bad for the Bankotsu/Kagome pairing that I've set for this story. I hope you wouldn't mind that :).

**Wake-Robin:** Thanks! I think my muses are starting to cooperate :P.

**Lost-Remembrance: **Thank you :)! It's very encouraging to hear that hehehe.

**Skitzoflame: **Yup, he sure did :)!

**sailorstarwinter: **Sorry for all the cliffhangers :). But don't worry, I'm trying to set a 10-days limit to my postings so it won't take long before the next chapter is up :). Hahaha I must admit that your 'strange' feeling is pointing at the right direction.

Guardian-of-the-night: Thanks! I hope you will get over your writer's block soon. You've got a nice inspiration there for a summary, thanks a lot!! I'll have it changed right away! Hope this one's better :).

**BelleDayNight:** Thank you very much! I thought about that option as well, but it would be too sad if Kagome's mother died. And then...where would Inuyasha be (hint hint)? And euhm, just for the record, Bankotsu isn't going to show up for a while :), since I've got a special role for him hehehe -grins-.

**Inukamisashi:** Not blood-related no :). Thanks for reviewing!

**whitewolfmoro11:** Hahaha, well I'm trying to retain my 10-days limit of posting new chapters so it doesn't take too long before I update :). Sorry to disappoint you but Bankotsu isn't going to show up for a while, since I'm slowly building up the story :). Thanks for reviewing!

**azn-sakura17: **Thank you! A merry christmas to you too!!

Lots of greets  
Kittymui

Posted: 20 December 2004  
Last Edited: 20 December 2004  
Spelling check: YES

**DISCLAIMER: **I do not own Inuyasha or any characters of it. And I do not own whatever elements of this story that seem familiar and had already been used by other creative individuals before. But... I do own the idea of mixing all of these elements together into a new story!


	4. Chapter III

**A TALE FROM THE PAST**

-by Kittymui-

**CHAPTER III**

It was good to be back again. He thought as he passed the wooden gates that were wide open to welcome him. Not that he liked to travel, but given the choice between staying in the fortress in the middle of the disgusting scent of humans and going on patrol in the wide forests, he definitely didn't have to hesitate before choosing the latter option.

He was glad that his father didn't make a big fuzz about him leaving the fortress because of his young age.

And now, after killing off several groups of spies and intruders, he has returned again.

Nothing had changed after the half year he had been away from the fortress, except for the colors of the garden that he was crossing. But something seemed different as he ascended the small wooden steps leading to the mansion.

It was the scent of the fortress that had changed.

Though it wasn't much, he still managed to distinguish two unfamiliar scents mixed up with the usual ones.

Without feeling obliged to greet his father, he nonchalantly took the direction leading to his quarters.

His thin brows furrowed as he walked alongside the white garden over the elevated wooden floor.

It was annoying to know that the two new guests were also human. But it was even more annoying when he realized that one of the scents was becoming stronger as the distance between him and his room decreased.

_'They even have the guts to enter my quarters??'_ he thought stupefied.

After repeating so many times that without his permission no humans were allowed to enter this part of the fortress, there were still those who'd wished to try their luck.

_'That's it! This intruder is going to regret his actions!'_ So he thought with an invisible grin on his stoic face.

-.-

He came to an abrupt yet silent stop when he arrived at the place where the human scent was strongest.

The last thing he had expected was to see a human child, let alone a girl. And yet, there she was, standing in front of the doors leading to his room.

He knew the child had noticed his presence and patiently he waited for her to look at him.

After their eyes met, it was like the whole scene had stopped moving.

It was strange.

Usually, he would have begun to threaten or use his poisonous claws right away if it was a mere human guard. But now he didn't even feel the urge to raise his claws against this child.

As he wondered why, his eyes slowly drifted towards her small clawless hands, which were still placed on the wooden border of the doors.

Mindlessly, he raised his clawed hand, intending to close up the small gap that the infant had created.

"Sesshoumaru!!" a voice called from behind him.

He felt a swift breeze passing him and suddenly, the human child before him became accompanied by two adults.

One of them was his father, the great lord of the Western Lands.

The other one was a human female. Sesshoumaru widened his gold-amber eyes when he saw the garment she was wearing. "You-!" he began, but was soon cut off by his father's voice.

"Sesshoumaru!"

He gritted his teeth as he watched the woman pick up the human child. _'So she's her mother huh...?'_ he thought inwardly.

I couldn't possibly ignore the questioning and distrustful looks that both adults were giving him and he narrowed his eyes. _'So they think I was about to kill the girl huh?'_ he mused in his thoughts.

'Hmp,' he uttered and turned around to leave.

He couldn't care less what everybody thought about him.

-.-

For one second, Kagome really thought the boy was going to hit her when he raised his hand. But when she saw that his eyes were actually locked on the doors she was trying to open a while ago, she told herself not to be scared.

But she was surprised when someone called out a name.

_'Sesshoumaru...?'_ she repeated the name in herself.

Apparently, it was the name of the boy, since he had paused his movements.

From behind him, her mother and the tall silver-haired man appeared and Kagome watched how they hastily ran to her side.

She was quite relieved to see some familiar faces again, but suddenly she felt an uncomfortable aura hanging in the air as she saw the serious expressions on both adults' faces. She followed their lines of vision and eventually ended up looking at the boy.

He didn't look very happy but she noticed the widening movement of his eyes when his eyes fell on her mother.

The boy was angry, though he wasn't really showing it.

When Kagome opened her mouth to say something, the boy beat her to it with a small 'hmp'. She watched him turn his back to them and turned to look at her mother, only to find her slightly shaking her head at her.

After the boy disappeared around a corner, she heard her mother apologize.

"I'm terribly sorry, InuTaisho-sama."

"It's not your fault, don't worry about it," was the man's reply.

"But-"

He turned to them and placed his hand on Kagome's head. "No matter how much my son resents the human kind, I will not break my promise to this little girl," he said.

And with that, he walked away from them.

Kagome turned to her mother. "Mommy, I'm sorry..." she apologized meekly.

Her reply was a soft kiss placed on her forehead.

-.-

Her punishment was to stay by her mother's side all the time and never to leave their sleeping quarters without permission and guidance.

But what about the boy?

Was he angry at her for almost entering his room?

Why he hated humans, she did not understand. Was that the reason why there weren't any guards near his room?

She really wanted to know. And that's why, she couldn't sleep that night.

::FLASHBACK::

They were sitting in a large room and several servants entered with low wooden tables in their hands.

On top of these tables were a bowl filled with rice accompanied with several small dishes and a pair of chopsticks.

Kagome looked around as she waited for one of them to be put down in front of her.

She saw the silver-haired man, whose name she recalled from his morning was InuTaisho, and her mother sitting on some cushions from across her. But there was one person missing.

"Where is Sesshoumaru?" she heard InuTaisho ask one of the servants.

"He's still in his room milord," the servant replied.

The demon lord raised a brow. "Why is that?"

"He said he will not dine with humans, milord."

A scowl appeared on his face. "His rudeness will not be tolerated. We shall dine without him," he decided while picking a bowl of rice.

And then they started to eat. Without the boy.

::END FLASHBACK::

_'I wonder if he's hungry right now...'_ Kagome pondered as she rolled over to her other side on her futon.

From underneath her blanket she pulled out a small green cloth that had something wrapped up inside. _'Maybe he's still up...'_ she thought to herself and sneakily shuffled out of her warm futon.

After making sure her mother hadn't woken up because of her, she tiptoed on her thick white socks towards the slidings panels.

With a firm push, she created a gap big enough for her to slip through. She let out a sigh of relief after closing the doors behind her. _'I guess it only leaves me the night time to be able to escape from the punishment.'_ she concluded while walking down the hallways.

Just like this morning, Kagome easily managed to pass through the guards unnoticed and within minutes, she found herself standing on a corner that offered her a clear view of the boy's room from a distance.

There was no light burning inside the room. _'He's probably already sleeping...'_ she told herself disappointedly.

But right before turning around to leave, she caught a glimpse of silver around the corner of the room.

When she walked a bit closer, she realized it was the same boy from this morning.

He was sitting on the edge of the elevated wooden floor, with his legs hanging over the border. He had his back to her and his long silver-white hair was resting against his back with its tips slightly touching the wooden planks behind him with every breath he exhaled.

_'Why is he out here and staring at the garden?'_ Kagome wondered inwardly.

She silently made her way to stand beside his sitting form and bowed forward a little to look at his face.

To her surprise, the boy had his eyes closed.

_'Is he asleep?'_ she pondered as she straightened up again. _'But it's cold out here...why isn't he sleeping inside?'_

Her eyes drifted to his feet that were placed over the edge and on the snowy earth below him and she shivered as she thought how cold he must be having.

Even with her thick kimono and socks protecting her body, she could still feel the cold wind sometimes, seeping through tiny holes in the fabric that cannot be seen with bare eyes.

"E-euhm..." she began.

"Leave me."

Kagome almost jumped up of shock when the boy spoke, for she really thought he was sleeping. But when she tilted her head foreward again, she still found his eyes shut.

"Gomen nasai...but you could catch a cold if you stay out here too long..." she said.

No respond was given to her remark.

"You didn't have dinner tonight...aren't you hungry?" she tried again.

Still no reply.

_'I wonder if he's still angry at me for snooping around his room...'_ she thought.

From her sleeve, she took out the small green package. "I thought you might be hungry, so I brought you something," she said, while kneeling down and putting it on the wooden floor next to him.

But the boy didn't move an inch, nor did he open his eyes.

Kagome dropped her face a little as she stood up again. _'I guess he's still angry...' _she sighed inwardly.

"O-oyasumi nasai..." she whispered and turned to leave.

As she walked away from the boy, she kept herself from looking around, thinking that he wouldn't spare her a glance.

But little did she know that had she looked over her shoulder, she would find a pair of dumbfounded gold-amber eyes watching her leave.

-.- several days later -.-

Kagome and her mother were walking down the hallway towards the dining area, as it was almost time for breakfast.

She was dressed in a soft pink kimono with red flowers and her mother was wearing the garment she wore yesterday. It was a dark red kimono with sakura blossoms embroidered with golden silk gracing her sleeves and legs.

Just when they were about to reach their destination, they noticed another person coming from the opposite direction.

"Good morning Sesshoumaru," her mother greeted him with a warm voice.

Kagome wanted to wave at the young demon, but stopped when she realized he had halted his step as soon as he saw them.

Again, he scanned her mother from head to toe and again, displease filled his eyes.

And before she could say anything, he had turned around and left, again.

_'He does that every time he sees mommy...why?'_ she thought puzzled.

Since it was daytime, there was no possibility to leave her mother's side to find the answer to that question, and so she decided inside that she would go out once again after most people fell asleep.

-.- that night -.-

After soundlessly escaping from the guards' lines of visions, Kagome arrived at the forbidden area once again.

Besides seeing a dim light burning inside the room, she also noticed that the doors were opened this time. _'Could he be inside his room?'_ she asked herself inwardly.

It was no use wondering, and that's why she decided to walk more closely to find out.

As she arrived at the open doorway, she realized nobody was inside.

_'Where could he be?'_ she thought.

While pondering, she was surprised by several waves of cold wind coming from behind her. And because she was unable to withstand the cold temperature with her current clothing, Kagome was forced to enter the room for shelter.

It was a quite big space for a place to sleep. The panoramic landscapes on the walls were painted far more elaborately and vividly than the room she shared with her mother. There were hills, waterfalls, bamboo forests and unreachable horizons.

At the left side of the room, there was a white futon lying on the floor with a yellow blanket neatly folded on top. Everything in the room was given a warm yellow hue coming from the burning oil lamp, which stood on a low round table at the center of the room.

Kagome made a small tour alongside the walls with her eyes exploring the place. As she did that, she suddenly discovered an alcove in the wall at the back of the room.

_'Is that a painting?'_ she wondered as she saw the outlines of a long rectangular and flat object hanging on the indented part of the wall.

It was faint because of the dim light, but as she walked closer to it, she found a person depicted on the work of art.

But there was no way, she could distinguish more than that with her limiting human vision and so she returned to the round table at the center of the room and carefully picked up the oil lamp.

With the source of light in her small hands, she walked back to the alcove and this time she was able to see clearly who had been granted immortality inside the painting.

It was a woman. She was standing in a garden that resembled the one located right in front of the boy's room; only this one on the painting was green instead of white.

She was smiling.

The soft smile on her face added up to her gracefulness, which had already been obtained by her serene golden eyes and the curly silver-white hair that framed her pretty face. The two thin pair of dark marks on each cheek right below her eyes, reminded Kagome of the young silver-haired boy she met yesterday.

_'Is this his mother...?'_ she pondered inside.

But then she finally noticed the dark red garment that the woman in the painting was wearing and her eyes widened. _'T-that's-!!'_

Her thoughts were cut off when she heard some faint footsteps approaching from a distance.

Kagome immediately put the oil lamp back to where it belonged on the low round table and exited room without making too much noise.

She quickly left the area via a path at the backside of the room and slipped inside her own room as soon as she arrived.

As she walked towards her own futon she used all her might to breath as soundless as possible, in order not to wake up her sleeping mother.

After settling herself beneath her thick blanket, she thought about the painting she saw hanging inside the boy's chamber.

_'Mommy wore the same kimono as the woman in the painting yesterday...and today too...'_ she remembered, while turning over to lay on her other side. _'Is that why he's angry at mommy...?'_

With that thought consuming her mind, the infant fell asleep.

-.-

Sesshoumaru scowled when he entered his room.

He knew there had been an uninvited visitor since a scent other than his own lingered in the air.

From his sleeve, he pulled out a folded green cloth that still carried the scent of fresh rice and the young girl.

_'It's her...'_ he concluded after matching the scent of the cloth and the one lingering in the room.

His clawed hand squeezed the cloth tightly as his anger began to rise. If it weren't for the sake of his own health, he would never have degraded himself to accept the sympathy of a human. But despite that, he was able to suppress his hunger. Also because of that, he had decided to overlook the impudence that was caused by her curiosity.

But the child had gone too far this time. As much as he admired her bravery at such a young age, he would never forgive her for entering his room.

With narrowed eyes, he traced the path the infant had walked with his keen nose and eventually ended up in front of his mother's painting in the alcove.

A low growl escaped his throat. "Child...you will regret this..." he grumbled.

-.- some time later -.-

"Mommy?" Kagome called out to her mother as she and her mother waited in their room for the servants to bring them their clean garments.

"Wait Kagome," her mother said as the doors slid open and revealed two servants carrying piles of clothes in their hands.

Kagome looked at the pile of clothes that was placed on the floor before her mother. Within the stack, she found the dark red kimono with golden flowers.

After the two servants left, she quickly stood up. She knew she had startled her mother when she pulled out the kimono from the stack and caused the other neatly folded garments to become entangled with each other as they fell to the floor.

"Kagome? What are you doing?" her mother asked puzzled.

"Mommy, don't wear this kimono anymore. We will be hated if you wear it again," Kagome explained while holding the kimono close to her.

Her mother raised a brow. "What are you talking about? Who is going to hate us?"

"That boy...it's his mother's kimono...we should give it back," she insisted.

"Who? You mean Sesshoumaru?"

Kagome nodded.

A moment of silence took place between mother and daughter and suddenly Kagome realized what she had done.

By telling the truth about the kimono, she had also revealed her secret escapades during bedtime several days ago.

"Kagome, you-" her mother began with a stern voice.

"I'm sorry mommy," she apologized meekly.

"You went outside when I was asleep??"

It was obvious that her mother was angry, but she couldn't lie to her so she eventually nodded her head.

"Kagome, do you know how dangerous it is to wander off alone like that at night !? How could you just break rules like that?!"

Kagome slightly cringed when she heard her mother's raised voice.

"Mommy, I'm so sorry...I won't-"

-SLAP-

A burning pain stinging her right cheek interrupted Kagome's sentence, and tears started to well up in her eyes.

"Oh K-Kagome...I'm so sorry...I-I didn't mean to..." her mother apologized with a gasp as she stretched out her arms to her.

But Kagome quickly took a step backwards. She knew she was wrong to disobey her mother but somehow this didn't justify the fact that her mother hit her before she could even explain her reasons for breaking the rules.

With the red kimono pressed against her chest, she opened one of the sliding doors with a jerk using her free hand and ran into the hallway without sparing her unreasonable mother another glance.

-.-

_'How shameful...'_ Sesshoumaru thought to himself as he watched the guards running around inside the fortress.

_'And all this just because of a human child...'_ he smirked inside. Actually, he should praise the child for causing such an amusement but unfortunately he had a great memory so he couldn't possible forget about her entering his territory twice.

After a while, the whole disorder started to bore him and he decided to retreat to his own quarters.

But as he arrived, he was annoyed to find the doors opened. _'They even searched this place...?!'_ he growled inwardly.

He was surprised and agitated to see a figure inside standing in front of the alcove. When he looked more carefully, he realized it was the human child.

_'This is the one place where the guards wouldn't search for her...is that why she came here?'_ he pondered as he silently approached the infant, who had her back to him.

_'Foolish girl, you will regret for entering my room for the second time!'_ he said in his mind as he raised his clawed hand as soon as the girl was within arm-reach.

Just when he wanted to grab the child from behind, a glimpse of dark red caught the peripheral area of his keen eyes.

Sesshoumaru quickly lowered his arm when the girl turned around to him. Shock was written all over her face when she saw him. But when the young demon lowered his gaze to the red object that drew his attention seconds ago, he widened his eyes as well.

The girl was holding his mother's kimono tightly against her chest.

"D-don't hate us..." the child suddenly spoke.

_'She had cried...'_ Sesshoumaru told himself when he saw the redness framing her dark-brown orbs. But then he noticed an unusual shade of red that colored one of her cheeks and reached out a hand to examine it.

_-.-_

"Ite!" she flinched when a stinging pain as soon as the boy's hand touched her cheek.

Suddenly she felt she wanted to cry again, but she pushed back her tears and told herself not to cry until she had apologized properly.

"G-gomen nasai," she began. "Please don't hate mommy or me...we didn't know and we're really sorry..." With that, she raised her hands that were carrying the red garment.

Her face dropped when she saw the boy turn around to leave. At that moment, she really wanted to burst into tears, although she didn't know whether it was because of her burning cheek or because she realized they were going to be hated forever.

But to her surprise, the silver-haired one came back after a while to stand in front of her again.

Kagome closed her eyes when she saw him raise his hand, convinced that he was going to hit her for real this time.

But instead of another flash of pain, a chilly and gentle sensation landed upon her swollen and burning cheek.

She quickly opened her eyes, only to see the boy's face on the same level as her own.

When she pulled away a little, she saw a small green cloth in his raised hand. It was the same cloth she had used to wrap up the rice balls for him days ago.

"Hold still."

Kagome did as she was told and relaxed as the pain ebbed away with each dab of the cold cloth against her cheek.

"A-arigatou..." she said softly when the boy pulled away the cloth from her face and straightened up again.

With his free hand, the young demon took the red kimono from her hands and walked away with it, leaving Kagome alone again in his room.

In the time that she was alone, she thought about what had happened for the past couple of minutes. Was she forgiven? Was it gentleness that she felt behind those cold eyes?

Her thoughts were cut off when the boy returned. Apparently he went to put away the kimono, as his hands were empty when he came back.

"You should go back," he stated plainly as he stopped before her.

Kagome dropped her face and fear was written on her face. "B-but mommy...she..." she stammered.

When she raised her gaze again, she found the silver-haired one standing at the doorway and looking at her. "Come," he said.

After hesitating for a while, Kagome listened to his words and walked closer to him.

-.-

And so, both of them began to walk; with the young demon walking in the front and Kagome right behind him.

But when they were about to leave the prohibited area, fear began to fill her mind and she immediately stopped walking. Not long after that, she saw the boy turning around to her with a slightly annoyed expression on his face.

The last thing Kagome wanted was to make him angry again, but she was unable to take another step, as she couldn't forget the angry face of her mother right before she hit her.

But then he did something she had never expected.

The boy reached out his hand to her.

Kagome hesitated for several seconds, but something inside told her she could trust him despite the uncaring and stoic face he put up.

Eventually, she reached out her hand to him and they began to walk side-by side.

With her small hand settled in his clawed one, Kagome somehow felt very safe and she immediately forgot about her fear. She couldn't help but think how nice it would be if this feeling would remain and that he would always be there to protect her like a brother.

A big brother she never had.

-.-

After walking a while, Kagome was able to see her mother from afar. She was standing with her side facing them, right outside their bedroom and looking at something far away with a worried look.

She was surprised when the boy suddenly let go of her hand and she turned around to him.

"Go," he said to her.

For the first time ever since she had become separated from her father, Kagome felt a very comfortable warmth filling her heart and she expressed it with a warm smile. "Arigatou gozaimasu, Sesshoumaru onii-sama!" she said before turning around and walking away.

Kagome stopped walking when she was about 2 meters away from her mother and eventually her presence was noticed.

"Kagome!"

Kagome watched her mother ran to her and the next thing she knew was being locked inside a very warm embrace.

Her mother held her close and began to cry. "I was so worried Kagome. I'm so sorry for hitting you...I didn't know what I was doing. Please forgive mommy."

Kagome wrapped her arms around her mother's neck and hugged her back. "I'm sorry for making you cry mommy..." she apologized. Inside she was very happy to know that her mother wasn't angry anymore.

Suddenly she remembered something and quickly pulled away to look over her shoulder.

But much to her disappointment, Sesshoumaru was already nowhere to be found.

-.-

On the way back to his room, Sesshoumaru became consumed by his thoughts. This wasn't what he had planned at all. His intention was to punish the human girl but why did the situation end up entirely different?

Why did his anger disappear as soon as he saw her red eyes and reddened cheek? Though she didn't tell him, the red kimono was probably part of the reason why she was hit. It would be her own fault, since she had found out on her own initiative that the kimono belonged to his mother, but then why did he feel guilty?

And why did he feel better after seeing her relaxed face when he held the cold cloth against her cheek?

It annoyed him when he realized that the child was apparently too afraid to leave his territory, but as much as he disliked the idea, he had to take away the fear that resided in her. He had to degrade himself once again by offering his hand to a human child and leading her to her mother.

Yet, these events altogether didn't even surpass the one fact that angered him the most.

The fact that...he actually liked the feeling when he was soothing her pain and holding her hand protectively. As much as he hated it and despite the fact that she was human, he had to admit that he felt as if he was holding the hand of his baby sister.

A sister he never had the chance to meet.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**:  
I know you might be wondering why demons like InuTaisho and Sesshoumaru eat rice. Well, they have to eat something right? Since InuTaisho and Sesshoumaru are civil demons, I can't really have them devour living beings hehehe. And besides, you've never seen them eating anything in the original series so there. I know Sesshoumaru said to Rin that he didn't eat human food when they first met, but hey, this is an Alternate Universe right? Plus the characters are Out-Of-Character :).

I have to admit that things are going a bit slow at the moment, but all of this is necessary to have you readers sink more into this story :) and I do hope I'm doing a good job at it. A too fast development of the relationships between the characters would be a tad too unrealistic, at least this is what I think. Moreover, the other main character of this story (Bankotsu) isn't going to show up for a while. I'll have to ask you to be patient with me, but I can promise you that you won't be disappointed when he finally shows up.

Before I forget, there are two exams coming up so the coming chapter is going to be slightly delayed, sorry!!s

And of course, I wish you all a happy and healthy 2005!! May the year of the Chicken bring you good fortune!!

Greets,

Kittymui

-.-.-

_Italic_: thoughts  
-- --: locations  
"...": spoken words  
-.-.-.-: time gap  
-CAPSLOCKED WORDS-: noises

-.-.-

**Next chapter: Chapter IV**

-.-

Why would Sesshoumaru actually see a sister in Kagome, you might wonder. And is there a reason for his hatred towards the human kind? A half year has passed and Kagome's mother is beginning to believe that she won't be able to see her husband again. Although InuTaisho still insists that they have to stay under his protection because of their vulnerability, he also knows very well that it is very dishonorable for himself as well as the woman and her child if he lets them stay under his roof just like that. What will he do to protect them?

Please look forward to the next chapter!!

-.-

**Vocabulary:**

**gomen nasai**: I'm sorry  
**ite:** ouch  
**oyasumi nasai:** good night  
**arigatou (gozaimasu): **thank you (very much)  
**onii-sama:** by adding the honorific suffix '-sama', this is a more respectful way of saying 'big brother'

-.-.-

**REPLIES ON REVIEWS:**

**Paleah: **Thanks! I'm glad you like it so far :).

**anata no egao: **Thank you :). I'm sorry to disappoint you that it will remain a Bankotsu x Kagome fic. I think it's because Bankotsu hasn't shown up yet that you think that way hehehe, but maybe I'm wrong. Anyway, when he finally shows up, I'll be sure to persuade you to like the planned pairing :).

**AnimeMoonlightGoddess: **I'm doing my best :). But since it's holiday right now, I'm also trying to relax a bit hehehe.

**Rhexi: **Hahaha, well Sesshoumaru isn't going to be more than Kagome's brother in this story (oops...did I just gave a hint?). But thanks for reviewing! I'm happy to hear you were getting excited about this chapter hihihi.

**Wake-Robin: **Thanks! I'll try to update as soon as I can!

**whitewolfmoro11: **-hides- I-I p-p-promise I will get a good role for him!! Please don't be angry!! -reads lower part of your review- Pfew...thanks for understanding hahaha :)!!

**Duzzie: **Thanks!! I will!!

**Skitzoflame: **Hope you weren't too disappointed with the minor actions between Kagome and Sesshoumaru hehehe :). Thanks for reviewing and euhm...sorry for the cliffhanger -sweatdrops- :).

**azn-sakura17: **Yeah, Bankotsu finds a book and now we are reading it through his eyes, I hope I haven't made it too confusing. Thanks for reviewing!

**KaIkO-tHe-ShElL-dAuGhTeR: **Well, here's a long chappie!! Happy? I sure hope so :)!

**The-Freak32: **Bankotsu? He's the one reading the book from chapter to chapter, so we're in fact reading it through his eyes. Thanks for reviewing :), I'm glad you like the storyline so far!

**shadow-mistress:** Thank you!! Best wishes to you too :)!

**KagomeMiko2: **I'm glad you like it. I hope you're not too disappointed if I told you that Bankotsu isn't going to show up for a while. But I can tell you that I do have a special role for him in this story :). I hope you will continue to read this story till its end!!

**Guardian-of-the-night:** Thanks!! Hmm you don't mind me telling you spoilers? If you don't, I would answer your curious question :). Best wishes to you too!!

**confused dolphin: **Thank you very much :)! Yeah, I dislike reading those stories too! I'll try to update as soon as possible!!

Posted: 31 December 2004  
Last Edited: 31 December 2004  
Spelling check: YES

**DISCLAIMER: **I do not own Inuyasha or any characters of it. And I do not own whatever elements of this story that seem familiar and had already been used by other creative individuals before. But... I do own the idea of mixing all of these elements together into a new story!


	5. Chapter IV

**A TALE FROM THE PAST**

-by Kittymui-

**CHAPTER IV**

:: DREAM SEQUENCE ::

He slightly tilted his head as he watched how his mother went to sit down on the floor with her hand making a circling movement on her stomach. "Why are you massaging your stomach mother? Are you unwell?" he asked with a worried tone.

A smile appeared on his mother's face. "No dear, I'm not unwell," she replied as she removed several misplaced strands of her long silver-white hair from her face.

"Then why mother? Why are you always looking so tired lately?" he asked.

"It's because I'm pregnant."

He gave her a puzzled look. "What's that?"

His mother thought for a while before answering. "Well, it means that you will become a big brother soon."

"Me?" he pointed at himself with wide eyes.

"That's right," his mother nodded. "It won't be long before you can meet your baby sister."

"How do you know it's a girl?"

"I just know it," she smiled. "She's in my belly after all."

"What will her name be mother?" he asked curiously.

"Hmm, I haven't really decided yet," his mother said with her finger placed on her chin. "Do you have any ideas?"

He thought for a while but shook his head. "I have no idea..."

Suddenly, his mother burst out in laughter. "I was just teasing you, I already had a name in mind," she confessed with tears of joy filling her eyes.

"Really?? Tell me!"

"You know what? I'll tell you on the day your sister is born," she grinned.

"Then I'm going to ask father!" he said.

"It's no use," her mother chuckled. "Not even your father knows what name I have chosen."

"That's not fair!! You're so mean!!" he pouted. "I'm never going to talk to you if you don't tell me!!"

Right after he said that, everything suddenly became pitch-black before his eyes.

"Mother?" he called out in the darkness. But there was no reply.

Seconds went by and he began to panic. "Mother! Father! Where are you??" he cried.

In a flash, he suddenly found himself standing in the middle of a sea of fire.

"Mother!! Father!!" he yelled as he ran alongside the rivers of flame.

As he dashed with his hand covered his nose and mouth, he didn't notice somebody standing in his path and bumped onto the individual. The impact made him fall backwards to the floor but fortunately missing the raging flames by mere centimeters.

He looked up to the one he bumped onto.

It was a middle-aged man with long curly black hair tied into a low ponytail dressed in a dark purple outfit. His hands were holding onto something.

And that something turned out to be a person, but the heat of the flames prevented him from identifying who it was. At least, not until that person suddenly yelled with a voice that was awfully familiar.

"P-please! Don't hurt my boy!!"

"Mother!!" he cried out and quickly got up to his feet.

"You bastard! Let my mother go!!" he growled as he slashed at the man with his clawed hands. But there was little damage he could inflict with his puny claws.

"Go Sesshoumaru!! Tell your father that Naraku has implanted spies in our fortress!! Go before it is too late!!" he heard his mother cry to him.

"But mother-!"

He was cut off when a sharp pain entered his stomach and a strong force flung him backwards to the floor. Right when he wanted to stand up and run towards his mother again, he realized painfully that a river of fire was blocking his way.

"Please live on for me Sesshoumaru! I know you can do it!! Protect these lands together with your father! I will-"

He scowled when the man with the ponytail slapped her mother to silence her. "You monster!!" he cried angrily.

He knew the man had heard him when he turned to look at him. "You've got guts boy, it's a pity that you're the son of my enemy. You would make a fine warrior," he smirked.

Shivers ran down to his spine as it felt as though his crimson eyes were piercing through his soul. But he quickly shook it off and stared back into the man's eyes.

"Boy! Tell your father that this is only the beginning of the game," the man shouted. "That he will continue to lose those dear to him if he doesn't surrender to me, Naraku!! Mwuahahahaha!!"

The satanic laughter was soon followed by several huge waves of fire that swallowed the man up...

...together with his mother.

And then, everything went black again.

"Sesshoumaru?"

He snapped back into reality and realized he was standing on a grassy hill in the shadows of an old oak.

He turned to the direction where he heard his name, only to find his father walking downwards the hill in a black haori and hakama. "We're leaving," he said.

But he didn't want to leave yet, he thought as he turned back to look at the old oak.

He and his father had identified the spies inside their fortress and they had succeeded in protecting the Western Lands from a disastrous invasion. But the price they had to pay for this temporary peace was too high.

His gold-amber eyes, filled with sorrow, traveled downwards to a square-shaped stone that laid flat on the earth near the trunk of the tree. Several feet beneath its polished surface, rested his mother.

Together with his unborn sister, whose name remained unknown until her death.

:: END DREAM SEQUENCE ::

Sesshoumaru slowly opened his eyes. _'How pathetic...'_ he thought as he got up from his pillow. He hadn't had that dream for a long time now, but why did it suddenly surface again?

After his mother was murdered, he had demanded his father for information about the man named Naraku. Surprisingly enough, Naraku turned out to be the lord of the Eastern Lands.

Ever since he was little, he had heard about the endless war between the East and the West, but never had he imagined meeting the Eastern ruler in person.

Later, he had also found out that Naraku was in fact a hanyou, a being who had human and demon blood running through his veins. And ever since that day, he wouldn't show a speck of sympathy or mercy towards the human kind. His stubbornness had made him believe that it was the foul blood of the humans to blame for his mother's horrible death.

-.-

Until today, he kept telling himself that those who had human blood running in their body are not to be forgiven.

His thoughts were cut off and he halted his step when he realized he had arrived at the hallway to which the room of the two humans was connected.

From afar, he could see that the sliding doors were open, but since he had the least of intention to enter it, he indifferently continued to walk again.

But while he passed the open doorway, he couldn't help but spot a presence sitting at the back of the room. And eventually, he stopped walking and looked inside.

It was the human child. But why was she alone? Where was her guardian?

_'It isn't my business. Why should I care?'_ he thought inwardly and decided to leave.

Right when he had turned around fully, he caught a small sigh coming from the room. It annoyed him when his conscience told him he shouldn't leave her like that and before he knew it, he was already standing inside the room.

The raven-haired girl in creamy yellow was sitting on the floor with her legs pulled up and her face propped on top of her knees.

Sesshoumaru approached the child and waited for her to realize his presence. Even after so many months he was still able to surprise her and he had to suppress an amused chuckle as he watched her widen her chestnut eyes to show how shocked she was.

-.-

Her mother told her that InuTaisho-sama wanted to talk to her and that she should stay in their room until she got back. But what took her so long?

She was indeed very bored.

The summer was about to end soon and still she wasn't allowed to go outside the room or the fortress without guidance. Within the past couple of months, she had become friends with a certain black-haired female servant named Rin. Of course, she could ask if they could play together in the garden, if only she had some time off from the never-ending household.

_'I wonder what Sesshoumaru onii-sama is doing...'_ she thought to herself. Ever since she had brought him back his mother's kimono, he had become more approachable for her than before. But other than allowing her to be in his room to accompany him occasionally, he wouldn't go as far as letting her follow him wherever he went as much as she had wished to. If only he was her real brother. So she thought as she let out a small sigh.

She cast her gaze downwards to the floor and traced the outlines of her shadow, which was created by the light coming through the doors her mother had forgotten to close. _'Huh..?'_ she thought puzzled when her shadow began to grow and turned to look aside.

Kagome widened her eyes when she saw the tall figure of Sesshoumaru standing beside her.

Though he didn't show it, she knew he kind of liked to scare her like that, for it certainly hadn't been the first time.

She quickly got to her feet and wiped some wrinkles from her yellow yukata with both her hands. He didn't ask, but she could guess that he wanted to know why she was here all alone and so she began to explain. "My mommy went to talk with InuTaisho-sama. She told me to wait here until she comes back," she said with a bored voice.

Suddenly an idea popped up in her mind._ 'Maybe he can take me out of there.'_ she thought and tried to look as desperate as she could. When the young demon showed no response, Kagome realized she had to pull everything out of her closet to make her plan succeed.

She frowned when Sesshoumaru turned around and began to walk away. _'Aw man...I will certainly die of boredom if I have to stay here any longer!!'_ she pouted inwardly and tried to look as angry as possible instead of disappointed.

But she was surprised when the boy stopped before the doorway and looked over his shoulder to her.

Joy filled her heart when she realized what he was doing and she quickly ran to his side.

-.-

He knew the child was desperate to leave this room at all costs since she was giving him a sad puppy look. But what puzzled him was why those eyes could bother him.

Thinking that the feeling would go away after leaving the room, he turned around and began to make his way towards the open doors. But irritatingly enough he never made it to the exterior. Somehow, his legs refused to obey him and forced him to halt his step.

After a brief moment of thinking, he finally gave in to it and turned to look at the child. _'She better be clever enough to realize why I am standing here...'_ he thought inwardly. And to his relief, as if she could hear his thoughts, the girl ran to his side in the following seconds.

Their walk was quiet, as usual, and he was glad about it because the last thing he wanted was a talkative infant near him. Maybe that's the reason he allowed her to be with him sometimes.

It was funny why the child wasn't asking him where they were going. Did she trust him that much?

It was not until some voices pulled him out of his thoughts that he realized that they had been walking into the direction of the main garden, which was located in front of the fortress.

Sesshoumaru stopped walking to listen more carefully and signaled with his hand for the child to stop as well.

-.-

_'Huh...?'_ Kagome thought surprised when they came to a stop right before a corner. _'What's wrong?'_

She wanted to ask him, but didn't when she heard some voices talking in a distance.

"I'm very sorry."

Kagome raised both her brows. _'Isn't that InuTaisho-sama's voice?'_ she thought as she looked up at Sesshoumaru.

Suddenly, she could hear her mother's voice as well.

"Don't be InuTaisho-sama. For more than a half year, I have prayed and hoped, but I guess it is time for me to accept that my husband is never coming back."

Kagome widened her eyes and dropped her face, not knowing that Sesshoumaru had turned his face to look at her.

_'Daddy's not coming back...'_ she told herself sadly. There were tears welling up in her eyes but she bit them back. _'I'll be strong...I won't cry...'_

_'Mother is there for me...and...'_ she comforted herself inwardly, lifting her gaze up to meet a pair of golden eyes. _'...Sesshoumaru onii-sama too...'_

_'That's why...I'll be fine...'_

-.-

Normally, children of five would start crying when they hear about the death of their loved ones. But not a single drop of tear was visible on her cheek when he gazed down at her.

But then his sensitive ears caught a slight twist in the conversation between his father and the human and he shifted his attention to the corner again.

"Let me protect you and Kagome."

"But InuTaisho-sama...it will be dishonorable for both of us if we stay here any longer."

"Then I'll give you a title."

His father's offer was answered by a moment of silence.

Sesshoumaru scowled. He was definitely not happy to digest what he just heard. The great lord of the Western Lands is going take a human widow as his mate?!

His ears twitched as he listened to the woman's reply.

"InuTaisho-sama, I-"

"I'm truly sorry, I shouldn't have said that. You have just been informed about your husband's death and yet I..."

"No, it is I who should say sorry. It is shameful of me to have a great demon lord like InuTaisho-sama degrade himself to sympathize an insignificant human like me."

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes as he heard the sounds of colliding fabric. There was no mistaking it. He didn't have to see it with his own eyes to know that his father had pulled the woman into his arms.

"In my eyes, you have never been and will never be insignificant, Izayoi. So don't ever call yourself that."

"Please understand that I have no intention of forcing you to accept me. Nor do I wish to conquer the place in which your deceased husband has taken in your heart. But I cannot let you walk out of here and watch you put your lives in danger when there is something I can do to prevent it. Please let me protect you and your daughter in your husband's place."

"InuTaisho-sama, I am very grateful to hear your kind words, but please give me some time."

At that moment, Sesshoumaru couldn't bear to hear any more of the conversation and turned around to leave.

Before he actually began to walk, he spared the young girl a quick glance. The dog demon didn't have to guess how angry he looked as he saw the fear written over the child's face when their eyes met.

And without saying anything to her, he walked away.

-.-

Kagome didn't quite understand what the demon lord meant by giving her mother a title. And why was her mother hesitating when he asked her to let him protect them? Wasn't that what he had promised from the moment he had offered them to live in the fortress?

The idea to just go around the corner and ask what the whole conversation was about did cross her mind, but she rejected it as soon as she saw the angry look on Sesshoumaru's face. Apparently, he was not too happy to hear what both adults were talking about. But why? Why did it bother him so much?

She was indeed scared when Sesshoumaru suddenly looked at her with his icy glare before he left.

As she watched him disappear into a hallway, she wondered in herself if she had done something to anger him. Maybe she shouldn't have forced him to be her temporary guardian. Was she becoming an annoyance?

Her thoughts were cut off when she heard footsteps coming her way. Thinking that it wouldn't be good if her mother found out that she had been secretly listening to their conversation, Kagome decided to leave.

-.-.-.-

A couple of days passed since she and Sesshoumaru eavesdropped the conversation between her mother and his father, and there was no way Kagome could have missed the strange atmosphere that had been hanging in the air. Maybe it was because of her young age, but she felt as if she was the only one who didn't know about the reasons behind it.

Even her mother was starting to pay less attention to her and went to see the demon lord more often, leaving her alone in their bedroom. Normally, Kagome would be glad to be left alone since she could go to Sesshoumaru. But now she wasn't happy at all, as the silver-haired boy had ignored her ever since the day of the conversation.

_'I'm bored...'_ she thought inwardly as she sat on the floor and fumbled with the sleeves of her soft pink yukata.

Hours went by and Kagome grew impatient with every second. And finally, she stood up. _'I can't stand this anymore!'_ she told herself angrily. _'If nobody's going to play with me, I will find something to play with myself!'_

With that decided, she opened the doors to the hallway and exited the bedroom.

As she walked down the hallways on her own, she thought about where she should go and relief herself from her boredom. And then she arrived at the main garden of the fortress.

She sighed when she spotted a handful of guards standing near the main gate. _'If only I could go outside...'_ she wailed inside as she looked at the walls of stone standing left and right of the entrance. _'I'm sure there's a lot more to see and explore beyond those walls.' _

Suddenly she noticed a horse and a cart filled with tons with standing on the dirt path leading to the gate. _'Maybe I can sneak out if I hide myself between those tons...'_ she thought and silently made her way to it.

Shortly after she settled herself between the goods, she heard footsteps approaching the cart.

The sound of a lashing whip could be heard and the cart began to move away from the building.

And eventually, it passed the guards and exited the fortress.

-.-

In the meantime, InuTaisho was sitting inside his study with Izayoi accompanying him, totally oblivious to her daughter's leave.

They were both surprised when the sliding doors flung open.

"InuTaisho-sama!"

The demon lord raised a brow when a guard stormed into the room. "What's wrong?" he asked sternly.

" Youkai troops of the Eastern Lands are approaching the borders and they're planning an attack on our fortress!!" one of the guards reported.

InuTaisho widened his eyes and stood up. "What?!"

"Milord, what do we do now?"

"Have all of our men prepare for battle," the dog demon commanded. "Put all servants into safety and have several alarm the villages near the borders!!"

**Note: **Their fortress is located not very far from the border where the lands of the East and West meet. Hence the safety measures.

"Yes, milord!"

After the guard left in a hurry, InuTaisho turned to Izayoi. "You should go back to Kagome. Stay inside your room and don't come out of it," he said to her. "It could be dangerous."

"I understand," she replied with a nod and she too, ran out of the room.

InuTaisho, who was now alone in his study, gazed down at the two swords kept close to him with the red sash tied around his middle. "We're going to battle again," he said to both weapons as he pulled at the ends of the sash to tighten it.

-.-

InuTaisho was just about to leave the fortress with a group of human soldiers when a woman's voice suddenly called out to him.

"InuTaisho-sama!!"

He turned around to the one who spoke and widened his eyes. "Izayoi! What are you doing out here?!"

The woman ran to his side. "K-Kagome...she's missing!!" she panted.

"What?! Have you asked the guards to search for her?" he asked worriedly.

Izayoi nodded. "Someone saw her hide in a cart of a merchandiser when it was about to leave the fortress not long ago."

"Damn it!" the demon lord cursed.

As he thought about what should be done, he didn't notice a certain silver-haired boy jumping over the walls of stone into the forest.

-.-

It didn't make sense.

He was determined when he decided that he wouldn't spare the mother and child another glance after the day his father proposed to the human. But why was he worried when he heard about the girl's disappearance?

Why did he jump over the walls as soon as he heard that she had left the fortress? He didn't understand, nor did he want to understand. And yet, there he was, standing on the path of dirt in the middle of the forest and sniffing the air.

Fortunately, it wasn't windy today and it didn't take him very long to pick up her scent and the direction where she had gone.

When her scent strayed from the dirt path, he knew she had jumped off of the merchandiser's cart and wandered off into another direction out of curiosity.

Without hesitation, Sesshoumaru walked into the woods with his mind doing nothing else but hoping.

Hoping he would find her before anyone or anything does.

-.- meanwhile -.-

Kagome was looking at her surroundings with wide eyes as she took a short break in a small clearing. With her eyes closed she listened to songs sung by the birds of the forest.

While enjoying the sounds of Mother Nature, the child completely forgot the fact that she had disobeyed her mother again and that she would most definitely get in trouble when they find out. But more importantly, she overlooked the dangerous situation she was in as she could become a prey any moment now.

The serene silence was abruptly disturbed when she heard some footsteps approaching the clearing.

"W-who's there?" she asked, her eyes darting around her.

She felt more awkward the longer she stood there and turned to leave. But a frightened look appeared on her face as she realized she had forgotten the way to return to the fortress.

Kagome took several steps backwards of shock when a person walked out of the shadows of the trees and into the clearing.

The bright sunlight revealed a man with loose curly black hair reaching his lower back. He was wearing a black haori with dark purple edges and a black hakama.

"What's the matter child? Are you lost?" the man spoke with a voice that made Kagome shiver.

She didn't answer to his question and avoided eye contact by looking down at the grassy floor. _'R-run Kagome!!'_ the voice in her head yelled at her and she quickly turned to run away.

But before she could take her first step, two strong arms grabbed her by her arms and flipped her around. And then she found herself looking into the creepiest crimson eyes she had ever seen.

"Didn't your mother tell you that avoiding eye contact is very rude?" he said as he tightened his grip on her arms.

Kagome wanted to cry out in pain, but no sound came out of her mouth when she parted her lips. Inside, she just hoped for someone to save her from this horrible man.

Suddenly, she caught a flash of pale green flying towards them from the side. It turned out to be a whip and Kagome watched how it circled around one of the crimson-eyed man's wrists and pulled it off of her arm.

Kagome turned to look aside and widened her eyes when she saw the person standing at the other end of the green whip. "Sesshoumaru onii-sama!!" she cried relieved. She wanted to run to him but realized that the creepy man was still holding her other arm.

The man suddenly put up an amused face. "If it isn't the son of the great lord of the Western Lands," he smirked. "I was just about to pay your dear father a visit before I invade and take over his lands. I'm flattered that he sent his son to greet me."

"You!" the silver-haired demon growled.

"Surely I hope you haven't forgotten about me."

Kagome was surprised to hear this. _'They know each other?'_ she thought as her eyes reciprocated between the crimson-eyed man and Sesshoumaru.

She let out a gasp when the man suddenly hoisted her up by her arm and flung her backwards to the grass. But instead of a hard floor, she made a soft impact with someone's chest. And when she looked up, she realized that Sesshoumaru was the one who caught her.

The dog demon gently lowered her to stand on the floor, but before Kagome could thank him, he had already turned his back to her.

-.-

"Leave," he said to the child behind him.

There was no way he would let her obscure his vengeance on the man who stood before him.

His crimson eyes were something he would never forget. It was the eyes of the man who murdered his mother and his unborn sister.

He frowned when he realized the kid hadn't moved an inch. "I said leave!!" he ordered with a low growl.

"Well, I didn't know you actually cared for the human kind," the crimson-eyed man interrupted with a chuckle.

Sesshoumaru flashed him an icy glare and bared his fangs. "Shut up, you murderer."

But the smile grew wider on the man's face. "Ahh, so you do remember me! I feel so honored!"

"You will regret that," the young demon stated coldly.

"Tsk tsk, such big words for a young pup."

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes. "Hmp, at least I'm a full-blood," he said and watched how the smile on his opponent's face turned into a scowl.

"Don't forget who you are talking to pup, you're playing a dangerous game right now. One that will take your life if you lose..."

Sesshoumaru readied his claws. "Prepare to die Naraku!!" he cried and he charged forward with his claw first.

But a barrier suddenly appeared around the hanyou and Sesshoumaru was bounced back with great force.

"Ack!" he gasped as he hit a tree behind him. "You b-" he cursed aloud but was cut off when Naraku suddenly appeared before him and lifted him from the grass by grabbing his haori.

"You know...your eyes really remind me of someone..." he heard him say with a chuckle.

"Ah yes I remember now. You're looking at me with the same eyes your mother had right before I killed her."

Sesshoumaru widened his eyes in anger but before he could do anything, he was thrown towards a tree standing at the other end of the clearing.

He quickly back-flipped and set off with his feet on the ground to launch a counterattack.

This time, the enemy didn't use a barrier, but simply swung his fist and hit the Sesshoumaru's face when he was within arm-reach. And he fell backwards onto the grass with a thud.

Through his blurry vision, he saw that Naraku was heading his way and he forced himself to a sitting position. He closed his eyes and shook off the dizziness in his head. When he opened his eyes and lifted his gaze, he suddenly found the raven-haired child standing in front of him with her arms spread out and her back to him.

She was protecting him.

"Go away," he said irritated as he tried to stand up but a shot of pain coming from his leg made him fall back to the floor again. _'What does she think she's doing?! Does she want to die??!'_ Sesshoumaru thought inwardly as his eyes traveled back and forth between Naraku and the infant.

-.-

Kagome almost jumped up of shock when she heard Sesshoumaru cry out in pain and peeked from behind a thick trunk to see what was happening in the small clearing.

_'Sesshoumaru onii-sama!!'_ she thought worriedly when the creepy man hoisted him up from the floor and she widened her eyes when she realized that the man called Naraku was the one responsible for the death of Sesshoumaru's mother.

She clenched her fists in anger as she watched Sesshoumaru fell to the floor after being hit in the face and she ran out from her hiding place into the sunlight.

She placed herself in front of Sesshoumaru and spread her arms.

"Go away." she heard the injured demon say but she refused to move an inch.

"What's this? A human child protecting a full-blooded demon?" the crimson-eyed man said with a surprised tone as he stopped in front of her.

Kagome gave him a dirty look. "You're a monster," she snarled.

"A kid with a big mouth huh? Your mother really need to teach you some manners...if she's still alive that is..."

Somehow, Kagome got angrier by the second. She didn't like people who hurt other people.

"That boy behind you hasn't got a mother. It's a pity right?"

"Stop it!" Kagome cried. _'Why am I getting so hot...?' _she thought as she placed her hands on her chest.

-.-

Sesshoumaru became very annoyed after failing another attempt to stand up. He was angry at the child for her impudence. But he was even angrier at the hanyou for his never-ending chatter.

His eyes widened when he saw Naraku reaching out his hand to the infant. "Kagome!! Get out of here!! Now!!" he cried. But his warning came too late as he watched the kid being lifted up in the air.

He frowned. _'Something is wrong...'_ he thought as he felt an unusual warmth radiating from her body.

A bright light began to envelope her body and then suddenly, everything became white.

Shortly after that, a loud and painful cry echoed through the forest. It was Naraku's voice.

Followed by a dead silence.

Sesshoumaru slowly opened his eyes when the light started to weaken. The bastard was nowhere to be found.

But where was the girl?

His eyes darted around in search of the child. And all of a sudden, he caught a glimpse of light purple floating in the mid-air. When he looked more carefully he realized it was her. A purplish light that was enveloping her body was slowly beginning to fade and as soon as it disappeared, the child began to fall out of the sky.

Sesshoumaru quickly dashed and caught her before she hit the floor. Then he suddenly realized something strange and with a puzzled look on his face, he gazed down at his leg that was injured seconds ago.

Even with his youkai blood, he wouldn't be able to heal this fast. He shifted his eyes back to the unconscious infant in his arms. Was it because of her? But how was it possible that such a small child possessed such power?

His thoughts were cut off when he caught the scent of his father approaching.

"Sesshoumaru!!"

-.-.- that evening -.-.-

Sesshoumaru stood right outside the room where the child was resting in, and near him stood his father and her mother.

Both adults tensed when the sliding doors opened and revealed an old man dressed in white and gray.

"How is she?" the woman asked with a worried tone.

"It appears that your daughter has exerted her body greatly. May I ask what had happened?" the doctor inquired.

"You needn't know," the demon lord replied. "Can we see her?"

The doctor walked to the side. "But yes of course milord, but I would advise you to be quiet because the child needs her rest."

"Thank you, you are dismissed for now."

"Yes milord," the doctor nodded and turned to leave.

Sesshoumaru watched his father and the girl's mother enter the room and eventually followed.

Guilt began to fill his heart when he saw her lying on the futon at the center of the room with a white blanket covering her body up to her chin. The candle, which was slightly dimmed by a roofless lantern placed over it, stood on a high wooden candleholder near her and illuminated her face with a gold-brown hue.

The mother knelt down besides her daughter and reached out a hand to caress her cheek.

He shifted his attention back to InuTaisho who stood in front of him. "Sesshoumaru, you have not spoken ever since we found you and Kagome in the forest. Now tell us, what had exactly happened before we arrived?" he demanded.

"It was Naraku," was Sesshoumaru's only reply.

His father turned to him with wide eyes but before he could say anything, a soldier entered the room and knelt down.

"What is it?" the demon lord asked.

"Milord, strange things have been happening ever since this afternoon," the human reported.

"Go on."

"We were protecting the borders and waiting for the youkai troops until a strange blinding light suddenly came out of nowhere. After the light faded, the youkai troops had arrived and were about to charge at us," he explained. "But as soon as those youkai reached the borderline, they were vanquished into thin air."

Both Sesshoumaru and InuTaisho raised their brows in surprise. But before they could say anything, a woman's voice beat them to it.

"A barrier is protecting these Western Lands..."

Everyone turned his or her faces to the individual standing in the open doorway. It was a young woman dressed in white and red. Most of her long black hair was tied together at the lower back of her head except for two loose loops resting on each of her shoulders. Despite her young age, her dark brown eyes looked as though they had seen more things and possessed more knowledge than the two dog demons together.

And then a guard suddenly ran into the room and knelt down. "I'm terribly sorry milord. I tried to sent her away, but she refused to leave and insisted on seeing milord before leaving."

InuTaisho held up a hand to signal to the guards that it was okay and turned to look at the intruder. "May I ask your identity human?" he said.

"Certainly," she replied with a polite bow. "My name is Kikyou and I am the head priestess of a shrine located near the Northern borders."

"You have come a long way, miko-sama," the demon lord said and made a dismissing gesture to the two guards before turning back to her. "Come further."

Sesshoumaru's eyes followed the young woman as she entered the room and stopped in front of them. While wondering about the credibility of her words, his father asked her to tell him more about the barrier she mentioned earlier.

"This afternoon, I felt a strong spiritual power coming from near your fortress," she began. "But I was surprised when it disappeared shortly after it emerged and left no trace of it behind."

She took a short pause before continuing. "I thought it was just my imagination when I saw a glimpse of a barrier hanging in the sky after leaving the shrine. But I confirmed what I saw as I walked alongside the borders towards your fortress. Just like I said earlier, there is indeed a barrier protecting your lands and from what I have witnessed with my very eyes, every single malicious youkai that attempts to cross the borderline will be eliminated by pure purification."

"Never in my life have I experienced such great spiritual power," the priestess confessed while shifting her gaze from the two demons to the two humans on the floor. "Can you please tell me the identity of the one who had created that barrier?"

The two adults didn't know how to respond to this but Sesshoumaru pointed at the child lying on the futon. "It was her," he stated plainly. He could see the dumbfounded looks on their faces when they heard this, yet he didn't find the need to say any more.

But after a moment of silence, the child's mother suddenly decided to speak. "My husband was a very powerful priest," she told them, not looking up from her daughter's sleeping face. "But he died protecting me and my daughter."

"Izayoi..." Sesshoumaru heard his father murmur with a caring tone.

"I see..." the priestess nodded understandingly.

"I guess this is not the right place or time to talk about this," the demon lord decided and turned to leave. And the priestess followed.

Sesshoumaru turned to the mother who was still looking at her child with worry written on her face. _'She looks tired and exhausted...'_ he thought and walked closer to the futon until she noticed his presence and looked up at him. "You should go..." he said dully.

"But my daughter-" she argued with fatigue in her voice.

"I will guard her," he cut her off. "You need rest."

The woman hesitated but eventually gave in when she saw the sincerity in Sesshoumaru's eyes, which the dog demon didn't know he was showing. "Please watch over my daughter," she bowed slightly and stood up.

Sesshoumaru waited until the human left and the doors closed before sitting down next to the futon. He looked at the child's sleeping face and wondered why he believed she was the one who created the barrier when back in the forest he doubted that she could actually possess such great power. _'Her father was a very powerful priest...'_ he remembered the mother's words. _'...and this girl has his blood running through her body.'_ It did make sense how she was able to create such a strong barrier, but what was the reason behind it?

He reminded himself of how his leg and cheek suddenly healed right after the light faded and the disappearance of the lord of the Eastern Lands. _'Was it because of her powers? And where did Naraku go? Was he purified in the process?' _he pondered inwardly.

And suddenly he recalled the last thing he said to the girl when she was still awake.

_'I called her by her name...'_ he realized.

And why was he so nice towards her mother? Wasn't he angry at her? Was his stubbornness, which resulted in his hatred towards humans, beginning to waver?

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**:  
Just for your information, Sesshoumaru is 14 at the moment and Kagome is almost 6. And you might wonder why it is dishonorable for both InuTaisho and Izayoi if she and Kagome stayed under his protection. It's because they both have lost their soulmates and they're living under the same roof. It is actually shameful for Izayoi to live in InuTaisho's fortress, because she hasn't got a title (i.e. she's got no right to). I hope I've explained it sufficiently :). 

Oh and another thing, you might have noticed that I didn't mention the Northern and Southern Lands. You probably remember Bankotsu mentioning that the lord of the Eastern Lands was responsible for the fall of the Western Lands, so hence I'm only concentrating on the war between the Eastern and Western Lands.

Lastly, some good news! If my calculations aren't wrong, Bankotsu is about to show up after 2 more chapters!

Greets,

Kittymui

-.-.-

_Italic_: thoughts  
-- --: locations  
"...": spoken words  
-.-.-.-: time gap  
-CAPSLOCKED WORDS-: noises

-.-.-

**Next chapter: Chapter 5**

-.-

What had happened to Naraku? And it's time to decide whether or not Izayoi and Kagome can stay in the fortress. What will Sesshoumaru do? Will he accept the two humans to be part of the family?

Please look forward to the next chapter!!

-.-

**Vocabulary:**

**hanyou:** half-demon  
**miko-sama:** a respectful way to refer to a priestess  
**youkai:** demon  
**haori:** short silk jackets  
**hakama:** Japanese pants  
**futon:** a traditional Japanese cotton mattress. It can be filled with foam, wool, polyester or a combination of fibers  
**yukata:** a traditional Japanese garment that's worn during the summer

-.-.-

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**fallen-anqel: **Thanks! I'll try!

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**Skitzoflame: **Thanks! Hope you liked the development between Sesshoumaru and Kagome :).

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**Rhexi: **It's okay :) don't worry about that. School is becoming a bother to me as well. I'm going to have an exam tomorrow and right now I'm using my break to update this newest chapter :). Why Sesshoumaru is gentle towards Kagome? Euhm...difficult to explain, well you do have to keep in mind that he's only 14 years old :). So he's not THAT stubborn and cruel... (yet?) hahaha. Thanks for reviewing! I'm happy to hear that you like the story so far!

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Posted: 9 January 2005  
Last Edited: 9 January 2005  
Spelling check: YES

**DISCLAIMER: **I do not own Inuyasha or any characters of it. And I do not own whatever elements of this story that seem familiar and had already been used by other creative individuals before. But... I do own the idea of mixing all of these elements together into a new story!


	6. Chapter V

**A TALE FROM THE PAST**

-by Kittymui-

**CHAPTER V**

-.- in the fortress of the lord of the Eastern Lands -.-

"Urgh..." Naraku grunted as he woke up from his slumber.

He scanned his surroundings and realized he was in his room back in his own fortress. It was a room not very different from the one of InuTaisho's fortress; the paintings on the panel walls were similar as well as the furniture that stood here and there.

An annoyed look could be seen on his face when he realized he wasn't lying on his futon but floating mid-air. And he was disgusted by the fact that a large part of his body was missing. In fact, the only things left of his body were his head and half of his chest.

"Cursed girl..." he muttered angrily, remembering the human child he met back in the forest. It was all her fault that he ended up like this.

But eventually, he put up a smirk again when he realized he was lucky enough to have escaped on time before he was completely purified. _'Just you wait girl...I will have my revenge...'_ he thought evilly.

At that moment, a green armored youkai entered Naraku's room and knelt down before the slightly transparent screen that was placed before his futon to prevent anyone from seeing his hideous form. "Milord," he greeted.

"What's the situation, have we won the war?" Naraku inquired.

"I'm sorry milord, but we are unable to enter the Western Lands," the minion reported submissively. "Our troops are being purified once we try to cross the borders. It's like there's a barrier protecting the territory."

"Nonsense!! It must be some priest or priestess' chanting or something, send out the best troops and find them!! I want the Western Lands conquered before the next sunrise!!" he growled.

"Yes milord!" the youkai acknowledged.

"And have all the strong youkai in the Eastern Lands summoned to the fortress," Naraku added. "Tell them that I have a great mission for them and that a big reward will be made available for those who qualify."

"Yes milord!" And the minion left the room.

Naraku began to laugh in himself after the sliding doors closed. _'A great mission indeed...'_ he thought as he imagined himself with a much stronger body. _'Their reward will be the honor to be part of the great lord of the Eastern Lands...'_

-.- meanwhile, at the fortress of the Western Lands -.-

Kagome yawned as she opened her eyes. _'What happened...?'_ she thought as she rubbed her tired eyes with the back of her hand.

As she waited for her vision to sharpen, she couldn't help but think that her pillow was softer than usual and began to hug it more tightly.

_'That's right...I was in the forest...and then that horrible man appeared...'_ she recalled. _'Sesshoumaru onii-sama was there too...'_

And then she suddenly remembered what he yelled to her right before everything became black.

_"Kagome!! Get out of here!! Now!!" _

_'He called me Kagome...'_ she realized. And while she was happy at the thought, she began to rub her face against the soft pillow.

Until she suddenly heard someone clearing his throat.

"Ahem..."

Kagome quickly lifted her face from the pillow and jumped to a sitting position. She widened her eyes when she saw Sesshoumaru sitting on the floor next to her futon and looking at her with a slightly annoyed expression. Apparently he was the one who cleared his throat to get her attention.

Her eyes traveled downwards to the 'soft pillow' she was hugging and rubbing her face against seconds ago, only to realize that it was actually Sesshoumaru's fluffy white tail.

"G-gomen nasai..." she apologized meekly with her face down.

Her apology was followed by a moment of silence, which seemed like an eternity.

But it was broken when the silver-haired demon spoke. "Do you want to see your mother?" he asked.

"Uhn," Kagome nodded.

She waited until Sesshoumaru stood up and opened the sliding doors before she followed behind in her white kimono.

-.-

Strangely enough, he wasn't angry with the girl for sleeping on his tail for the entire night and he found it rather cute to see her hugging it tight and rubbing her face against it.

It amused him even more when she apologized so honestly after realizing that it was his tail. But at the end, he was just relieved that she finally woke, as she had been sleeping for two days already.

As they entered the corridor, Sesshoumaru reasoned inside that she would be very sensitive to the bright sunlight and instinctively shielded her from it with his long sleeve.

**Note:** In case you're wondering. The outer corridors of the fortress are open at one side with a nice view on the garden around the fortress.

Not long after they left the room, they came across InuTaisho and Izayoi who were walking towards them.

"Mommy!!" the child cried happily and ran towards her mother.

Sesshoumaru felt a strange kind of disappointment when the girl left his side. It was an empty feeling that filled his heart.

He realized that both the mother and daughter had to leave the fortress if a title wasn't given to the mother soon, before she and her daughter's reputation were ruined.

The dog demon somehow didn't want the child to leave his side, nor did he want her reputation to be ruined. But that wasn't possible unless he accepted a certain condition. One he had tried to avoid until now.

His train of thought crashed when InuTaisho began to speak.

"I have decided to take Izayoi as my mate," he announced as he shifted his gaze from Izayoi to Kagome and ended up looking at Sesshoumaru. "Sesshoumaru, do you object to this?"

Kagome turned to look up to her mother. "What does it mean mommy?" she asked.

"It means that you and your mother can stay here forever and that I will protect the both of you from any harm," the demon lord explained with a smile.

The child responded with wide eyes. "Really??"

InuTaisho nodded.

Her eyes shifted to her mother, who also nodded, and then to Sesshoumaru.

They were expecting an answer from him. But somehow, he wasn't able to answer.

For the first time in his life, Sesshoumaru felt the need to say something but couldn't find the words for it. Uneasiness was beginning to show on his features and he quickly turned before they noticed.

"Sesshoumaru onii-sama?" Kagome suddenly said.

Which, of course, startled everyone including Sesshoumaru himself.

Until now, she had only called him that when they were alone (with the exception of Naraku), but now, his father and her mother were present as well.

He couldn't deny it was embarrassing when the girl referred to him that way in front of others, but her words did ultimately reflect the answer he had in his heart.

And naturally, InuTaisho and Izayoi knew what it meant when Sesshoumaru didn't become angry at being called that familiarly by a human child.

-.-

And so, the day of the wedding ceremony arrived. Everything was decorated beautifully and everyone was gathered inside a large room of the fortress.

Izayoi was wearing a traditional white wedding garment and InuTaisho, who was standing next to her, in a rich black haori and hakama. Behind the pair stood Kagome in cherry red and Sesshoumaru in black.

As the priest in front of the soon-to-be-bound couple gave the customary preach, the demon prince began to drown into his own thoughts and he stole a glance at the small girl standing next to him.

How did things end up like this? He didn't know and neither did he understand. First he had intended to ignore her for the rest of his life, and then he somehow worried about her safety and ended up saving her from Naraku. And bewilderingly enough, the girl unconditionally risked her life to save his afterwards. He doubted that it was because she didn't want to owe him anything since she was too young to understand something this complicated.

She had truly wanted to save and protect him.

That moment, the preaching stopped and he turned his attention to InuTaisho when he turned around and began to make an announcement.

"From this day on, Izayoi will be my mate and Kagome will be officially adopted as the princess of the Western Lands and sister to my son, the prince of the Western Lands," he stated as he shifted his gaze from Izayoi to Kagome and Sesshoumaru. "If there are any objections, please voice it now."

There was a brief silence but the loud cheering of the servants and soldiers standing at the back of the room soon followed it.

Sesshoumaru watched how his father embraced the woman named Izayoi and eventually ended up looking at Kagome.

From this day on, he will have to accept another woman as his mother and a human child as his sister, but strangely enough, he felt no anger or annoyance at the thought.

Fate had made him meet the mother and child to prove him how wrong he was to blame the humans for his mother's death. And he admitted his foolishness. The creation of his hatred towards the human kind was ultimately meant to prevent him from realizing the one thing he had been trying to deny all this time.

Sesshoumaru closed his eyes. _'I was the one who failed to protect mother...because I was weak...I-'_

He snapped back into reality when he felt something warm touching his hand.

When he dropped his gaze, he realized that the source of the warmth was actually Kagome's hand, which was just big enough to hold onto three of his fingers.

She was looking at him with worry in her eyes.

Instinctively, Sesshoumaru freed his fingers from her grasp; only to capture her small hand in his clawed one. And almost immediately, the worried expression was replaced with a warm smile on her face, which sent a serene feeling through the dog demon's body. _'I guess...I just wanted to be forgiven...'_ he thought as the image of his mother appeared in his mind. _'Mother...you will forgive me...won't you...?'_

-.-

InuTaisho was relieved when the ceremony ended well.

He knew his son resented the human kind because of his mother's death. Even now, he wasn't able to make him understand that the humans were not to be blamed. During the entire happening, the demon lord had really thought that his son would stand up to him and object to his decision. But at the end, he didn't, and he wondered why.

When he unlocked Izayoi from his embrace and turned to the children, he finally began to understand why.

Besides being surprised to see Sesshoumaru holding Kagome's hand, he also noticed something different in the way he looked at the human child.

InuTaisho expected to see grudge, but he found calmness in his son's eyes instead.

As he pondered about how the child was able to affect him that much, he felt relieved inside to know that accepting both humans to be part of their family was a good decision after all.

However, he had to admit that the decision to take Izayoi as his mate wasn't only made because he had strong feelings towards her.

FLASHBACK

"Tell me miko-sama, being an offspring of a powerful priest it is natural for the girl to have inherited great holy powers. But how is it that she had never showed it before until now?" he asked as he closed the sliding doors behind the priestess.

After leaving Kagome's room, they had made their way towards InuTaisho's study to discuss about the huge barrier that was protecting the Western Lands. The room was illuminated by candles, dimmed by paper lanterns and placed on top of four low wooden pillars that were standing at each corner.

"Normally, it would take years for someone to control such powers and use it according to his or her will. It is indeed strange for a child, who didn't know she had it in her, to use so much power," she explained as she walked deeper into the room. "But in this case, the child probably felt an intense need to protect someone and therefore released it beyond her knowledge and control."

_'An intense need to protect someone...?'_ the demon lord thought as he recalled the image of his son carrying the unconscious human child in his arms. _'She released her powers to protect Sesshoumaru??'_

No matter how strange it sounded, it did make sense when he remembered his son telling them about Naraku's presence.

"How long is this barrier going to last?" he finally asked. "Is there a way to control it?"

The priestess thought for a while but eventually shook her head. "I doubt that it can be controlled," she replied. "When I entered the room of the sleeping infant earlier, I felt no spiritual powers coming from her."

InuTaisho raised a brow. "What do you mean?"

"Mature priests and priestesses have the ability to hide their spiritual powers from others. But with her young age, she couldn't have been hiding her powers from me," she though aloud and turned to him. "What I'm trying to say is, the girl doesn't have a single drip of her power left in her anymore."

The demon lord widened his eyes in surprise. "But how is that possible?"

"As I said before, the child had released her powers before she even knew how to control it and as a result, she used all of her powers to create the barrier," the priestess reasoned. "As its creator, she should have been the one who could control it. But the irony is that you need spiritual power to control spiritual power and since she has no such power left, there is no way she can control it."

"Can you not control it?" InuTaisho asked.

She shook her head again. "Not even I possess the power to do so. The only person who should be able to control such great barrier is the girl's father, but unfortunately he is not here anymore."

There was a moment of silence as the demon lord digested what he had heard so far. He could not deny that he had considered a long peace for the people he ruled over. As long as the barrier existed, not a single youkai would be able to enter his territory and there would be no need for war.

But after being told that no one was able to control this barrier, there was no guarantee that it wouldn't disappear the next morning, week or month.

_'I guess it's too good to be true...'_ he told himself inwardly.

He was pulled back into reality when the priestess suddenly broke the silence.

"As for your other question..." she began. "Although the barrier cannot be controlled, it doesn't mean that it will fade away over time."

"Please explain," InuTaisho demanded with a puzzled expression.

The priestess walked towards the light source standing at one of the corners of the room and removed the lantern from its pillar, revealing a burning candle. "Take this candle for example," she said while looking down at it. "Once a candle is lit, there's nothing the candle can do to control the fire, which is comparable to child's situation if you imagine her being the candle and the barrier the flame. And right now, the power that had created the flame is so strong that no one is able to blow out this candle."

"So in other words, this warm and calm candlelight will keep burning...until..." she said as she moved her hand towards the candle.

_'Until...?'_ InuTaisho thought as he walked closer to the candle to see what she was doing.

He watched how a purplish light began to envelop the priestess' hand as she moved it closer to the wax.

-SNAP-

The demon lord was surprised when the candle snapped in two by mere spiritual powers but he also realized the important message that the priestess wanted to convey with this demonstration.

_'Although the candle can't control the flame, it is still the element that keeps it burning,' _ he reasoned inwardly as he watched a thread of smoke rise from the extinguished core. _'If the sustainer is somehow destroyed, the flame will die.'_

END FLASHBACK

_'So if Kagome's life is taken...the barrier will cease to exist as well...'_ InuTaisho concluded inside as his eyes traveled to the child in front of him.

Kagome has unknowingly become the pillar of peace. As long as she lives, the barrier would remain and it would offer them protection against all intruding youkai. But there was something he mustn't forget.

Even though he hadn't told anyone yet and regardless of the priestess' loyalty, there was still one individual who probably already found out about this.

Naraku.

He doubted that the bastard had died, because if he did, the entire Eastern Lands would be in chaos and devastation right now. But the fact that everything remained silent was a solid prove for his existence.

By adopting Kagome as his daughter makes it a lot easier to protect her from any initiatives from the East aimed to end her life. But they still had to be cautious since there was no chance Naraku would give up.

-.- at Naraku's lair -.-

"How did it go?" he demanded impatiently when an armored minion entered his chamber.

"I'm terribly sorry milord, but our second attempt to enter the Western Lands had failed dramatically. All of our troops including our best army have been purified," the minion reported apologetically. "And we could not find a priest of priestess nearby who caused it."

"CURSES!!!" Naraku cried out in frustration and anger.

He gritted his teeth and scowled. "Just you wait fools of the Western Lands!! My revenge will be sweet when I have recovered this dreaded injury!!"

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**:  
Sorry for taking another 9 days to update, but things were getting really busy a few days ago. The piles homework and 2 test have pushed away all of my inspiration so it took me some time to recover. But here it is finally, I really hope you have enjoyed reading it!

The next chapter will be delayed a little (i.e. it will take longer than the usual 10 days), because I have to write a year-end report for a simulation business game at school and after that there are 2 tests coming up...-sigh-, I'm terribly sorry for that!!

Greets,

Kittymui

-.-.-

_Italic_: thoughts  
-- --: locations  
"...": spoken words  
-.-.-.-: time gap  
-CAPSLOCKED WORDS-: noises

-.-.-

**Next chapter: Chapter VI**

-.-

In the next chapter we make another jump in time again. Sesshoumaru and Kagome are expecting a new member in the family but suddenly InuTaisho decides that Kagome has to leave the castle. Why? Please look forward to the next chapter!!

-.-

**Vocabulary:**  
**youkai: **demon  
**onii-sama:** a very respectful way to refer to a big brother  
**gomen nasai: **I'm sorry

-.-.-

**REPLIES ON REVIEWS:**

**Wake-Robin: **Thanks! But I think I will disappoint you when I say that my next chapter isn't going to be posted for a short while. Please forgive me!!

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**Skitzoflame:** Yeah he sure does :)!

**toolazytologinagain...but i will forever be whitwolfmoro11. search me. I dare you: **Hahaha what a long nickname this time. I'm sorry for making you wait and even more sorry that I'm going to make you wait a little bit longer for the next chapter... but you will forgive me...right? -sweatdrops-. Thanks for reviewing!!

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Posted: 18 January 2005  
Last Edited: 18 January 2005  
Spelling check: YES

**DISCLAIMER: **I do not own Inuyasha or any characters of it. And I do not own whatever elements of this story that seem familiar and had already been used by other creative individuals before. But... I do own the idea of mixing all of these elements together into a new story!


	7. Chapter VI

**A TALE FROM THE PAST**

-by Kittymui-

**CHAPTER VI**

-.-

It was mid-afternoon and the sun shone brightly in the clear azure sky. Soft breezes from the North, carrying the smell of Spring, traveled unerringly to the South and made the trees of the forests dance on the rhythm of their rustling leaves.

A certain lord was standing in front of a small creek that signified the border between the Eastern and Western Lands. He wore spiked gray armor around his torso and limbs and several thick green tentacles stuck out of his back just below the ends of his long wavy black hair. His crimson eyes narrowed as they looked at the forest on the other side of the flowing water.

It took him three years to recover from the hideous injury and to create a perfect body using the strong youkai his minions had gathered for him. He couldn't deny that it was a tough process, since one little mistake could end up giving him an imperfect body.

With his new body and strength, he had hoped to take revenge for the trouble and pain he had gone through on the one who caused it. Now, he was so close to achieving his goal and yet, so far away.

A scowl appeared on his face as he raised his hand and moved it forward in the air until a surge of pain suddenly ran via his arm to his entire body. When he looked at his hand, he saw several thin strings of smoke coming from it, accompanied by the sound of something melting in acid.

-SHHH-

_'A purifying barrier...'_ he confirmed inwardly while retracting his slightly burned hand.

It wasn't the work of a priest of priestess chanting nearby. So he thought as he analyzed the pain enveloping his hand.

At the same time, he began to recall the important announcement that came from the Western Lands three years ago, about the dog demon lord taking a human as his mate and adopting the child of the woman as his own daughter.

Back then; he would truly have burst out in laughter after hearing the hilarious news, had it not been for his hideous and repulsive appearance.

Even more stupefying was the rumor afterwards about the princess of the Western Lands being the one who had created the barrier.

But he didn't think it was true.

For the passed three years, he have been doubting the credibility of his minions' reports about troops being completely purified when trying to cross the border and enter the Western Lands. Let alone believing the rumors about a mere human child creating a powerful barrier that was able to purify each and every single youkai of his troops. He thought it was just an excuse thought up by his minions to make their reports about the barrier more acceptable.

But now, there was no other option than believing his eyes.

"Kagura," he called.

Not long after that, a woman appeared from the shadows of the trees behind him.

It was a young woman dressed in a white yukata with dark purple stripes. She had short black hair tied up into a small knot with some small white feathers functioning as decoration around it. Her dark gray eyes, graced with thin red stripes on both eye-lids locked themselves on the lord. Her lips that shared the same color as a rose parted slightly to speak as she walked forward. "What is it this time Naraku?"

Naraku's ears twitched slightly at the lack of respect in his minion's voice but eventually decided to ignore it. "Find the best human assassins and have them summoned to my fortress," he ordered.

The woman smirked. "In case you didn't know, you have chased hem away from these lands the moment you became the ruler, leaving not a single human left. I remember you saying that those creatures were useless trash. Why do you suddenly need their help right now?"

"I don't recall ever allowing you to question my decisions, Kagura," he scowled. "Search in the Northern or Southern Lands if you can't find them here. I don't care what or how long it takes, just get them here at any cost!"

"Hmp, fine!" was her response to his order before she pulled a feather from her hair decoration. She threw it upwards in the sky, creating a gush of wind around her.

In a split second, the white feather transformed into a very big one and carried her into the blue sky.

Naraku narrowed his crimson eyes a little as he watched his underling fly away. _'As insolent as always Kagura. You're lucky that you're still useful to me.'_ he growled inwardly.

After the feather disappeared out of his eyesight, he turned away from the creek and headed towards his own fortress. _'Don't care how long it takes huh...?'_ he reviewed his own words. _'Don't worry InuTaisho, I will let you and your pitiful family live your peaceful life a little bit longer...because my next plan will definitely not fail. Even if it takes another 3 years or longer, I will take over your territory and kill your cursed daughter in front of your very eyes.'_

-.- meanwhile in the fortress of the Western Lands -.-

"I won't allow it," he growled determinedly.

"Sesshoumaru's right, my dearest, you can't possibly send our daughter away just like that," his mother agreed as she got up from her pillow-seat with her hand supporting her back. "It's too dangerous for her to live outside in the wilderness on her own."

The two of them, together with InuTaisho, were standing inside the demon lord's study. The smooth surface of the furniture reflected the calm diffused afternoon sunlight that seeped through the thin white paper of the circular window frames built in the walls. His mother was dressed in a beautiful pink kimono with dark red embroidered embellishments here and there shaped like bamboo leaves, but no sash or obi could be seen around her middle. The demon lord, who was standing at a distance from her, was dressed in a white haori that was graced with golden edges and a hakama of the same color. Both pieces of garments were held together by a silver sash that was tied around his waist.

And Sesshoumaru was wearing a similar white traditional outfit as his father but with only three red flower blossoms decorating his left shoulder. His long fluffy white tail was draped over his right shoulder and its end dangling loosely behind his back just like his long silver-white hair. With his gold-amber eyes drifting towards the demon lord, Sesshoumaru had an expectant look on his face.

A moment ago, he was still accompanying his younger sister with a walk in the main garden. Until he was suddenly summoned to his father's study. He had suspected that the talk would be partly involving Kagome, since she had to stay behind according to the lord's orders. But he had never imagined that it would be about sending her away from the fortress.

"It's even more dangerous to let Kagome stay inside this fortress, because it is the first place where Naraku will send his troops to in order to kill her," was InuTaisho's reply.

"But the barrier-" she argued but was cut off by the demon lord.

"It's true that the barrier protected us against the attacks by Naraku's troops for the past couple of years and I am very certain that it will continue to do so in the near future," he said. "But it still has a weakness...and I'm sure Naraku had already noticed this."

Sesshoumaru's brows slightly furrowed together. He had to admit that his father was speaking nothing but the truth.

Naraku's attempts to invade the Western Lands failed because he had only sent youkai troops so far. These troops were reduced to ashes by purification once they came in contact with the barrier. But this barrier, created with the power to purify, couldn't possibly fend off those without anything to be purified...

...humans.

Although it is well known that no humans inhabited the Eastern Lands, it does not mean that its lord wouldn't search for possible candidates in the Northern or Southern Lands. Despite his resentment towards the human kind, there was no doubt that conquering the Western Lands would have a higher priority in his shrewd mind, especially when his enthusiasm to conquer the Lands of the West hadn't lessen even for one bit after so many years of failing.

Sesshoumaru was pulled out of his thoughts when his mother spoke again.

"At least let me accompany her to take care of her," she tried.

The demon lord shook his head and walked closer to his wife. "I cannot allow that, Izayoi," he said while lowering his gold-amber eyes to her swollen belly. "Not only would you be unable to protect Kagome in your condition. You would also put the life of our unborn child in grave danger.

"Then...what about Sesshoumaru?" she suggested while turning to look at him.

He shook his head again. "Sesshoumaru has to stay here. He is the heir to the lordship and he still has much to learn before I'm going to entrust anything to him," he told her. "Moreover, there aren't many people who have seen Kagome in person. But almost everybody knows who Sesshoumaru is and how he looks like, so it would be very suspicious. Even Naraku would wonder why the prince of the Western Lands would be accompanying a mere human girl."

InuTaisho put both hands on his wife's shoulders. "I understand your feelings, Izayoi. Kagome is my daughter too and I have tried to come up with other solutions, but this is the best way to protect her as well as the entire Western Lands," he told her. "But don't worry, I have already found someone who can accompany and protect her from any harm. She's the daughter of the famous family of youkai-exterminators."

Sesshoumaru raised a brow. _'A she...?'_ he thought, almost instantly doubting the capabilities of the soon-to-be guardian of his sister.

But when he saw his mother giving in to the decision, a scowl appeared on his face. _'So it's two against one now huh?'_ he concluded inwardly.

He immediately turned to the sliding doors of the room. "Hmp...do as you please," he stated coldly as he opened them and disappeared into the corridor.

Not long after closing the doors behind him, he realized a presence standing near him and immediately, he recognized the scent of the individual.

-.-

There was an awkward silence between them as they stood in the small garden in front of Sesshoumaru's chamber.

The more he thought about his father's decision, the angrier he became.

After all these years, he and Kagome had become so attached to each other like real siblings, but now he had to see how his 9 years old sister was about to be sent away. And there was nothing he could do to prevent it.

Maybe he should send someone after her to protect her in his place, but who? After all these years, Kagome was the only one who had succeeded in gaining his complete trust and who had made him starting to belief in the human kind once again.

His train of thoughts was cut off when out of the corner of his eyes he saw the girl next to him part her lips to speak.

"A-are you angry at father?" she asked.

"Don't you know the answer already?" he replied with his eyes locked on something straight ahead, beyond the walls of the fortress.

Another brief silence.

"But you shouldn't be angry at him..." she began again. "It is for my own good...right?"

Sesshoumaru sighed. _'She's only a child...and yet she understood it this far...but how can she possibly cope with this?'_ he reasoned inside and turned to her.

The yellow flowers on her fresh green yukata reflected the rays of the sun and forced him to slightly narrow his eyes. For a moment, he thought he saw a glimpse of unwillingness on her face (from aside) that was framed by her loose raven-black hair, but it disappeared as soon as it came.

Just when he wanted to ask what her true feelings were about their father's decision, she changed the topic.

"I wonder when our new family member is going to arrive," she said aloud with a small smile on her face and turned to look up at him. "What do you think Sesshoumaru onii-sama? Will it be a little brother or sister?"

Sesshoumaru's eyes softened at the sight of his sister's smile and decided to drop the topic as well. "If I'm not mistaking, it will take another month before the child is born and seeing the shape of mother's belly...it should be a boy."

Her reaction was a pair of widened chestnut eyes. "Ehhhh? You can see that from the shape of the belly?"

He nodded. It was something his mother taught him when she was still alive.

"Tell me! Tell me!" the girl pleaded with excitement.

"When the belly of a pregnant woman is slightly pointing forward, the unborn child is a boy," he explained patiently, while turning back to look at the garden in front of him. "And when the shape of the belly is round, it is a girl."

"Sugoi!" she clapped her hands and laughed. "Onii-sama really knows a lot!"

It felt relieving to see her like this. Somehow, Sesshoumaru really thought she would collapse to the floor with tears in her eyes, but she turned out to be stronger than he expected.

But his thoughts were held back in uncertainty when the laughter suddenly faltered and he turned to her, only to find her face slightly turned away from him.

Sesshoumaru frowned as he caught the scent of saltiness in the air. "Kagome?" he called out to her.

-.-

_'Stupid Kagome...you said you would be strong...'_ she scolded herself inwardly as she recalled what she had decided earlier. She didn't know when she had started to cry but as soon as she realized the wetness on her cheeks, she stopped laughing and turned to look away from Sesshoumaru.

She was puzzled when Sesshoumaru was summoned away, but she was also very curious why her father had specifically ordered for her to stay behind. And that's why she had eventually decided to go to the lord's study.

At first it wasn't her intention to eavesdrop what was being discussed, but after finding out that her father had decided to send her away from the fortress, she couldn't help but hear out the entire story. She couldn't deny that she was shocked, but she knew her father cared for her and that he would do anything to prevent her from getting hurt.

When she caught the name 'Naraku', the vague image of the crimson-eyed man who had tried to kill her three years ago appeared in her mind and sent shivers through her body. According to InuTaisho, he would definitely come to these lands once again to kill her.

Kagome recalled that Sesshoumaru once explained to her about the barrier she had unconsciously created back then; a barrier that prevented evil youkai from entering these lands. He told her that she had brought peace to the Western Lands and she was truly happy that she was able to do that. But after hearing her father say about the barrier having a weakness and that Naraku would probably succeed the next time he plans to attack, she began to wonder if she could have prevented it.

And now, she had to leave because of this. She probably had to do so before she could even meet her little brother, who was still sleeping in her mother's belly.

She snapped out of it when she heard her name.

"Kagome?"

Reacting to Sesshoumaru's voice, Kagome slowly turned to look up at him, only to find herself looking into a pair of widened gold-amber orbs.

By the never-ending tears leaving her eyes, she finally came to realize how scared she actually was to leave the fortress. But before she could turn away again to hide her teary face, Sesshoumaru knelt down and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close to him.

That moment, as if his comfort was intensifying the sadness in her heart, she burst into tears with her head leaning against his left shoulder. "I-I was thinking..." she said, broken in heavy sobs. "...thinking that maybe I should have made a stronger barrier...then all of this wouldn't be happening..."

"It's not your fault...don't blame yourself..." Sesshoumaru told her, while gently stroking her hair.

"I-I know it's for my own safety...but still...I-"

"I know...Kagome...I know..." he cut her off as he leaned against her head with his cheek.

A brief moment went by with the two staying in the same position and calmness began to return to Kagome once again.

"Do you think...they would let me stay...until our little brother is born...?" she asked with a dry voice.

Her answer was a tightened, yet comforting embrace. "I will make sure you can..." he promised with a determined voice.

-.-

Just as Sesshoumaru predicted, a boy was born one month later.

And Inuyasha was the child's name.

That night, everyone of the fortress had gathered in the large room reserved for ceremonies and some people of villages nearby were present as well to greet the new member of the royal family.

But unfortunately, it was also the same day that Kagome had to leave the fortress in secret.

When someone asked about the absence of the princess, they were simply told that she couldn't attend the ceremony because she was unwell and had to retreat to her own quarters.

But none of the audience noticed, had their attention turned to the slightly opened sliding doors of the room, that two shadows were walking alongside the walls of the fortress at a distance; ready to leave the fortress.

-.-

Kagome halted her steps when she heard familiar voices coming from the room where the ceremony was being held and shifted her gaze to the space between the sliding doors. It was crowded in the room and the chance was little that she could see her family members for the last time before leaving, but she had no regrets.

She was already grateful that they had allowed her to stay another month until she was able to meet her younger brother.

Warmth filled her heart as she remembered how calm the child was when she held him in her small embrace. The innocence on his curious face was something she would never forget about. He had eyes that shared the same gold-amber color as his father and instead of human ears; the baby had two small, white dog-ears on top of his head. Along with this, he had also inherited the beautiful silver-white hair. But unlike those with only blood of the dog demon's flowing in their body, the child had no markings on his forehead, cheeks and lower arms.

"Hime-sama?" a whispering voice interrupted her thoughts.

Kagome turned to look up at the one who was assigned to be her guardian from this moment on.

It was a girl around Sesshoumaru's age. She had long black hair tied into a high ponytail and dark eyes. She was wearing a black outfit with some weapons attached to the sash around her waist. One of them reflected the pale moonlight and looked like a small scythe with a chain attacked to its hilt. Behind her back, the girl carried a huge boomerang that was twice as big as Kagome and only slightly bigger than its owner.

Kagome herself was wearing a dark blue hooded cloak and underneath it a light blue kimono made of a thick and warm fabric. Around her left shoulder, she was carrying a brown bag made of a big cloth, which held some nourishments and money for the journey.

"It is time to go..." her guardian reminded her.

Yes, it was time for her to leave. So she thought as she began to walk again.

She was surprised to see someone standing near the gate when she arrived and it didn't take too long before she recognized who it was.

"Sesshoumaru onii-sama..." she said with a soft voice.

The dog demon walked closer to her and knelt down without saying anything

Kagome noticed a flash of guilt in his eyes and put up a small smile in response. "Don't worry, I'll be okay. Sango-san will be there for me," she reassured him, referring to her guardian.

"But can you promise me one thing?" she asked.

He nodded.

"Promise me that you will protect Inuyasha...just like you protected me..."

Not long after she said that, she suddenly found herself in the arms of Sesshoumaru.

"I'll miss you..." she whispered as she hugged him back.

They stayed like that for a short moment until Sesshoumaru released her from his embrace. From his long sleeve he took out something and held it before her.

Kagome gazed down at his clawed hand, only to find a piece of adornment resting at the center of his palm. It was a simple necklace crafted using a brown leather cord, which strung together three canine fangs with the one in the middle slightly bigger than the other two.

"My mother made it for me when I was little, using my primary fangs," he explained as he placed it into her small hand.

Kagome looped the necklace over her head and shifted its position until the three white fangs were exactly at the center below her chin on top of the cloak. She looked up at Sesshoumaru again and smiled. "Arigatou, onii-sama," she thanked him.

The dog demon gently pulled the dark blue hood of her cloak over her head before standing up and turning to the person standing behind her. "Protect her well. If you let anything happen to her, I will hunt you down and end your life with my own claws," he threatened with narrowed eyes.

"I understand," the guardian replied, her features showing not a single sign of fear.

"Now go," he ordered as he stepped aside and made way for the both of them.

In silence, Kagome and her guardian walked pass the demon prince and left the fortress.

Before disappearing into the shadows of the trees, she paused and turned around to the main gate. To her relief, Sesshoumaru was still standing there, with his eyes locked on hers.

"Take care...Sesshoumaru onii-sama," she whispered softly, not knowing if he had heard it or not.

With his face imprinted in her memories, she turned away and started to walk again, hoping she would be able to return to this place someday soon.

-.-

It was probably easier for her to remember him since there was little chance that his looks would change dramatically. But even for a demon with excellent senses, it would be very difficult for Sesshoumaru to recognize a child in an adult. That's why he gave her the necklace.

Even if there were great changes in her looks and scent the next time they meet, there was no possibility that the necklace would change.

As he watched them walk away, he wondered if she would turn around and look at him for the last time. And much to his surprise, as if she somehow knew what he was thinking, she stopped walking right before entering the forest and turned around.

Carried by the wind, her whispering drifted towards his sensitive ears.

"Take care...Sesshoumaru onii-sama."

As much as he wanted to respond, he knew very well that she wouldn't be able to receive his words with her sense of hearing. And so, he replied inside his heart, hoping she would be able to hear it.

And somehow, he knew she had heard him.

**AN:** In case you're wondering. InuTaisho wanted to protect Kagome by sending her away from the fortress in secret. So naturally, he and the rest of the people of the fortress would make sure that everybody in the outside world would think that the princess is still within the fortress. Like the demon lord said before, there aren't many people outside the fortress who have seen her, so it would be best if they kept it this way. And it's not like everybody can enter the fortress without permission so Kagome, also known as the pillar of peace, became famous by words with nobody actually having seen her in person. Besides the guards of the fortress, Naraku is basically the only one who is 100 sure that the princess of the Western Lands does exist and that the barrier will disappear if she dies. Hope this clears up a bit.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**:  
Hey everybody! I'm so terribly sorry for taking 15 days to update. But I have good reasons for it and I had announced it properly in the Author's notes of the previous chapter, right? The tests are now officially over and it's time for me to pick up the 10-days pace again. Please be patient with me though as it would be quite hard to do that hehehe. But anyhow, I hope you liked this chapter! Please tell me with a review what you thought of it okay? Thanks!

By the way, Kagome is 9, which makes Sesshoumaru 18 years old (and Inuyasha 0 hehehe).

Greets,

Kittymui

-.-.-

_Italic_: thoughts  
: locations  
"...": spoken words  
-.-.-.: time gap  
-CAPSLOCKED WORDS: noises

-.-.-

**Next chapter: Chapter VII**

-.-

Although it would sound a bit unrealistic, we will be making a big jump in time between this and the next chapter. In other words, it took Kagura a very long time before she found the right candidates for the assassination of Kagome. But if you think about it, searching the Northern and Southern Lands isn't an easy job, especially when the best of the best is needed. The question is of course...how big will this jump in time be? And more importantly, will Kagura be able to find the individual or individuals she ordered to look for? Please look forward to the next chapter!

-.-

**Vocabulary:**

**miko:** priestess  
**onii-sama:** a respectful way to refer to an older brother  
**sugoi:** amazing  
**hime-sama: **hime means princess and by adding the honorific suffix -sama, this is a very respectful way to address a princess  
**-san:** a formal way to address someone by adding this to the person's name  
**arigatou: **thank you  
**haori:** a traditional Japanese clothing worn by men (upper body)  
**hakama: **a traditional Japanese clothing worn by men (lower body)  
**yukata: **a traditional Japanese clothing worn by women during the warmer seasons

-.-.-

**REPLIES ON REVIEWS:**

**Mayukagurl: **Thanks!

**sakurakitsune14: **Thank you for understanding :). I'm happy to know that you like the story so far!

**Wake-Robin: **I hope this chapter was worth waiting for! I'm glad you liked the chapter!

**Yukisora: **Thanks!

**evilmaniac: **Thank you! Hope you liked this chapter as well!

**Skitzoflame: **Now you know :). Hope it wasn't too cruel of me to do so hehehe.

**Inukamisashi:** Thank you! I will try to pick up the pace again!

**Kyia Star: **Hahahaha thanks :). I guess there is a need sometimes to create things that don't make sense, hehehe.

**Sirayme:** I'm glad you're enjoying it!

**azn-sakura17:** I've been busy so far with updating this story so I didn't have time to read yours. But after posting this chapter, I will surely check up your fic okay? Thanks for reviewing mine!

**Angel of Darkness and Death:** Thank you very much :). It is and will stay a Ban/Kag fic, don't worry :). One of the reasons why I decided to highlight the relationship-building between Sesshoumaru and Kagome was because I thought it would be very boring if I only emphasize the relationship between Bankotsu and Kagome. And of course, I wish you a very nice birthday! I managed to update this story on time :) how's that?

**x0xprincess-sakurax0x:** I'll try to as soon as possible!

**InuKagStar:** Thank you :)! I've been busy for the past two weeks but now I'm going to try to update within each 10 days again!

**Duzzie: **I have to agree with you that things aren't going that fast right now, but I'm glad you still like my story so far!

**Tamia:** Thank you very much! Most of the time I reread my previous chapters to prevent myself from forgetting about things I mentioned before hehehe :).

Posted: 2 February 2005  
Last Edited: 2 February 2005  
Spelling check: YES

**DISCLAIMER: **I do not own Inuyasha or any characters of it. And I do not own whatever elements of this story that seem familiar and had already been used by other creative individuals before. But... I do own the idea of mixing all of these elements together into a new story!


	8. Chapter VII

**A TALE FROM THE PAST**

-by Kittymui-

**CHAPTER VII**

- somewhere in the forests of the Northern Lands -

It was already evening when they finally found an appropriate place to stay the night. Because business wasn't going very well, they were forced to pass the nighttime in a forest.

They were called the Shichinintai. And as the name said it already, the seven of them made up the famous group of assassins who had never failed any of the assignments they accepted.

The leader of the group let out a sigh as he sat down near a tree trunk at the border of the clearing and placed his large halberd next to him on the grass. He pulled his long thin braid of black hair from behind his back to rest on his left shoulder while his blue-gray eyes scanned the nature around them.

The trees, illuminated up by the crisping campfire, had almost abandoned all of their brown leaves. If they can't find an assignment soon, they would surely lack the means to pass the upcoming season. The winter of the Northern Lands was not something to be underestimated. Without the proper clothing and preparations, the cold temperature and snowstorms could easily execute the strongest youkai. And the fact that they were now in the most northern part of the country troubled him even more.

Suddenly, he recalled a certain rumor that had been roaming these lands for some time now. It was about a female messenger from the East, trying to find assassins for a very rewarding mission. But the rumors also said that nobody had succeeded in accomplishing that mission so far.

Yet, instead of worrying of the possible difficulty of that mission, Bankotsu only hoped they would get to meet that strange individual soon.

With that thought pinned down at the back of his mind, he pulled out a small pile of paper, bound together with a small rope along the left edge, from his sleeve and a thin piece of carbon wrapped in a small cloth. After securing the carbon between his thumb and forefinger, he placed its tip on the light-brown surface and allowed his memories to lead the writing tool.

Halfway the fourth page, he was interrupted by one of his companions.

"Writing your journal again?"

It was Jakotsu who spoke. Sometimes he wondered if he was a woman in his past life. With his light-purple kimono-like outfit, knotted hair and interest in men, he definitely resembled one.  
Ever since he told his friend that the two dark purple vertical markings on each side of his face brought out his manly side, there wasn't a single day that passed without him applying red substance on his lips, making him more feminine than before. But nevertheless, he was thankful that he used a powerful snake-sword instead of a whip or something similar.

"Yeah," he replied dully and turned his attention to his writing again.

Jakotsu sat down next to him. "You know, I can't stop wondering why you're always taking the time to scribble down the things that are already in the past."

"The fact that it is in the past, makes it even more valuable to write down," he explained without looking up. "Who knows what kind of great things we could accomplish. And when we do so, there is a chance that we won't live to tell the tale. That is when this journal will come in handy, don't you agree?"

Jakotsu shook his head and sighed. "You're too pessimistic Bankotsu, there's no way we would lose with a great leader like you."

"Actually, I'm being realistic. It's not like I'm the wisest of you all. In fact, I'm the youngest of the seven!" Bankotsu laughed. "And besides, we have only formed this group about a year ago."

"Despite that, we have managed to complete every single mission and become quite famous in such short period, all thanks to you!" his friend reasoned. "Remember the last mission? If it weren't for your nice tactics and skills, we wouldn't be able to assassinate that snake-boss. And there was this time that-"

"Would you please stop that ass-kissing already?" he grunted. "If you were a woman, I would almost think you fell in love with me!"

"If I were a woman, you would've already taken me by now," Jakotsu countered with a seductive laugh. But he stopped smiling when Bankotsu reached out his hand to his halberd. "Woah! I'm just kidding! No need to-"

"Shh!" he shushed him as he quickly put away the papers and at the same time, lifted his heavy halberd with his other hand.

With one swift motion, he swung the weapon at one of the trees at the other side of the clearing.

- TSJOK -

One of his comrades, who sat the nearest to the impact, jumped up of shock. "What the-" he shouted but was soon cut off by an unfamiliar voice.

"Hm, nice shot boy. If only you were born earlier, you would have spared me a lot of time and effort."

A silhouette appeared from behind the tree and walked into the clearing until the light of the fire revealed some features.

It was a woman. From the deflected colors, Bankotsu reasoned inwardly that she was wearing a white kimono with dark purple edges. And the thin stripes adorning her eyelids should be red, which was also the color of her lips.

"Who are you?" he demanded, his eyes fixed on her dark ones.

"Oh forgive me for not introducing myself," she apologized. "My name is Kagura and I'm from the Eastern Lands."

Bankotsu narrowed his eyes. "You're the messenger from the rumors, aren't you?"

"I'm surprised boy...I didn't think humans were this smart," she chuckled.

Right after she said that, the other six members of the Shichinintai jumped up from the ground into 'ready-to-fight' positions.

But instead of feeling threatened, the stranger from the East smirked. "You might want to hear me out first. If it doesn't sound good enough, you can still kill me," she reasoned.

_'True...'_ Bankotsu thought as he held up his hand and gestured for his fellow members to sit down.

After they did as the leader told them, the woman spoke again. "As I said, I was sent by the lord of the Eastern Lands," she told them. "I assume you already know why I'm here."

"And I take that you already know who we are, so you can get to the point woman," he responded dryly. "What does the lord of the East want from us? I thought he despised the human kind."

"There is no need for you to know and I will not tell you either. You'll just have to come with me and meet the lord himself. He will be the one informing you about the complete outlines of the mission," was her reply.

"I see..." he said, propping his head on his hand that was supported by his slightly pulled-up leg. "Then...what's in it for us? And how do we know that you're speaking the truth?"

"Of course, I will give you part of the reward in advance as an assurance but you can expect a very large payment afterwards should you succeed," she said as she leaned against one of the trees. "As for your latter question...I guess I can only ask you to trust me."

Although not completely satisfied with her answer, Bankotsu still coped with it and shifted his gaze to the rest of the group. "Guys, tell me what you think," he ordered as his eyes moved to Jakotsu first, who sat the nearest.

"I'll follow you wherever you want to go leader," his friend replied without thinking. "If you accept the offer, I'll assist you to the very end."

Bankotsu smirked inwardly. _'I wouldn't expect anything else from you...'_ he thought as his eyes traveled to the next person.

"Jakotsu's right. Just give us orders and we will follow," was the answer of the one called Mukotsu.

Mukotsu the oldest of the seven, but he was also the one with the less opinions of his own. Although it wasn't his habit to dig into someone's past, he couldn't help but wonder from time to time what had caused his face to be so hideous. Besides a thick white robe, he always wore a cloth over his head and a veil that covered most part of his face except his eyes. But even with these things, he still didn't look like he was human. Maybe it was because of his unusual big eyes, small pupils and short length. Could it have been an accident with the toxins he's always carrying with him? He didn't know.

Bankotsu couldn't deny that he was quite useful regardless of his ineptitude to use weapons. Having a poison-user in the group would definitely come in handy someday. This was also the same reason why he allowed him to join.

"Same here," three voices said at the same time. It was Suikotsu, Kyoukotsu and Ginkotsu who spoke.

Bankotsu had to admit that, of the seven, he knew the least about these three. Suikotsu once told him that he was a doctor before but that he could barely remember his past. Apparently, he was suffering some sort of amnesia. But his skills with the pair of steel claws that he wore on both his hands like gloves made him a worthy member of the Shichinintai. Suikotsu had spiked black hair and a somewhat unfriendly face, filled with green markings, which made people back away in fear. He was wearing a thick dark-green outfit and brown armor on top of it, protecting his torso and shoulders, and all of them kept together with a long light blue sash at his waist.

The other two, unlike the rest, were youkai. It was actually quite obvious at first sight, since Kyoukotsu was two times the size of the rest, in height as well as in breadth, and Ginkotsu was basically a demon with all kinds of weapons built in and around his body. Kyoukotsu had light-green spiked hair held back with a leather band, scars all over his vicious face and a mouth filled with sharp fangs. Ginkotsu had red hair, jaws made of pure metal and half of his face stitched away with the same material. On his strong back, he carried a huge iron backpack comprising heavy weapons like cannons and spiked wheels that can be shot out on his command. But nonetheless, the both of them were strong.

And finally, he turned to the remaining member of the group. "Renkotsu, what do you think?"

He, Renkotsu and Jakotsu had been friends before they formed the Shichinintai. And as long as he knew him, he had always been the one with a different opinion about things. But no matter how deviant he was; he had never done something hazardous to their friendship.

Renkotsu also had two vertical stripes on each side of his face like Jakotsu, but his were thicker, red and they marked his cheeks from the bottom of his lower jaw to his eyebrows. There was also a strange mark on his forehead that looked like a bull's head from the front. He wore a cloth over his bald head and a light-green shirt underneath his long orange colored armor, held together with a dark purple sash at the middle. The ends of his sleeves and pants were wrapped inside leather arm and leg protectors, just like Bankotsu himself.  
Bankotsu's haori was white with a navy blue spot on his left shoulder and the armor he wore over it was light blue of color with dark blue fern-shaped figures painted on it randomly. The sash that was wound around his middle was deep red. And he, too, had a marking on his forehead, but his resembled a cross-shaped scar and it was dark blue.

While he had his favorite halberd, which he named Banryuu, Renkotsu carried a brown gourd at his waist. Even today, Bankotsu was still not able to figure out how his comrade managed to turn the liquid content of his gourd into pure flames when coming out of his mouth.

But his train of thoughts crashed when Renkotsu gave a totally unexpected answer.

"I'm in."

Bankotsu widened his eyes. He was indeed very surprised with Renkotsu's reply but he also realized that it's up to him now to decide whether they should accept this assignment or not.

There were in fact countless reasons to doubt credibility of the woman's story, but time was running out and money was needed in order to survive.

"All right, we accept your offer," he eventually decided.

"Sounds reasonable," the woman agreed. "When are you ready to leave?"

He thought for a while before answering. "Traveling to the Eastern Lands on foot will certainly not be easy since winter will be arriving soon...so we need to prepare ourselves properly," he explained. "First I'll have to check if the prepayment is enough to purchase the needed things and then we'll decide what to do next."

Kagura raised a brow as she took out a bag from her sleeve. "If it's not enough, why don't you just raid some nearby village or something? It'll be fast and easy, and you're all used to killing people, aren't you?" she suggested, handing over the money.

But Bankotsu immediately flashed her an irritated look. "Don't mock us, Kagura. No matter how cold-blooded we are when taking out our missions, we never kill people without a reason," he told her as he stood up and snatched the bag out of her hand. He didn't realize it before, but now that he is standing, the woman turned out to be slightly shorter than himself.

"Tsk, as if money is a good reason for killing people. So much for an atonement," she muttered.

Out of anger, Bankotsu jumped towards his halberd, which was still stuck into the tree, and pulled it out with his free hand. "We had already accepted a sinful existence the day we decided to be assassins," he snapped as he pointed the sharp weapon at the woman. "Even if you are the one who hired us, if you dare to ridicule our way of being assassins again, I will surely cripple you before having you lead us to your lord!"

When he received no response, he lowered his halberd and estimated the rough quantity by measuring its weight. After confirming that it contained enough money for their journey, he turned to the rest. "Let's hit the hay guys! By sunrise, I want all of us ready to move out!"

"Understood!" they acknowledged all together.

-.-

Within a couple of days, they managed to make all needed procurements. By the end of autumn, they headed out for the Eastern Lands.

During their journey, they had come across some thieves and bandits who wanted to rob them of their valuables. Fortunately, they formed no threat for the Shichinintai as well as Kagura; hence, no huge delays had taken place. But because of these battles, Bankotsu found out that Kagura was actually an element-user, one who used a fan to control the winds.

After entering the foreign territory, he saw large differences between the landscapes of the North and those of the East. While they could still find some green and blue among the rocky areas in the North, the East consisted of masses of mountains and stark surfaces. Kagura told them that the Eastern Lands had always been like this. The only water here was the small creek that flowed between the Eastern and Western Lands and the only forest was the one that accompanied that creek.

_'I surely hope they aren't hiring us to aid them in cultivating these lands...'_ he thought to himself while they ascended a muddy hill, but he shook his head. _'Nah...if they really wanted to do that, they would be hiring farmers instead of assassins.'_ Which suddenly reminded him of the thought of becoming a farmer and leading a simple existence, with the one he would protect with his life. It was something that crossed his mind once; an ambition he abandoned long ago.

-.-

When they arrived at their destination, the winter was already taking its first steps aside to make way for the next season.

If there were any trees or plants, they would unmistakably be budding right now. So the leader thought upon passing the barren garden of the fortress.

After entering the building at the end of the garden, the wind-user led them through a dark and damp corridor until they reached a pair of sliding doors. "Naraku, I have returned again," she said and pushed them open with both hands.

"Hmp, took you long enough Kagura..." a low voice responded.

Never have Bankotsu felt such an intimidating atmosphere. _'Maybe it's because of the lacking of light...'_ he reasoned inwardly as he and his companions walked further into the room. Regardless of the time of the day, the room looked as though it was already evening.

The one who spoke was sitting on the floor at the back of the large room. His features, which were only slightly visible because of two dim light sources to his left and right, became clearer with each step Bankotsu took.

He stopped the moment he had the clearest view of the person known as the lord of the Eastern Lands.

Long, curly black hair framed a subtle face that possessed a rather eerie calmness. And a pair of crimson eyes was looking at him with a penetrating gaze. "So you're the leader of the famous Shichinintai."

"Yes, my name is Bankotsu," Bankotsu replied.

The lord had the looks of a human, but after seeing the rest of his body, Bankotsu knew he wasn't one. His arms and torso were covered with some strange kind of armor, which was spiked and gray. Through the open and sleeveless dark-purple vest the lord was wearing, Bankotsu swore he saw something like an eye in his armor somewhere near the area of his stomach. And below, he was wearing a black hakama, of which the ends were hidden behind a pair of boots.

He narrowed his eyes when he saw something moving behind the youkai. _'Are those...tentacles...?' _ he wondered. But his thoughts were soon cut off by his low voice.

"You have done well Kagura, I will give you back your heart for your hard work," he said as he made a ball of light appear above his hand and sent it flying to the wind-user.

_'Her heart?'_ Bankotsu thought puzzled as he watched the ball disappear inside the body of the woman who stood beside him.

"I'm finally free..." he heard her whisper to herself.

Giving him no time to elaborate on this, the man named Naraku turned to look at him again. "I had expected you to arrive earlier, did you encounter problems on the way?" he asked.

"The cold winter of the North forced us to make preparations before departing. And we did come across enemies during the journey," Bankotsu explained.

"I see...and I thought my underling was slacking off from her duty." Without warning, the lord suddenly raised one of his hands and shot out a black ray in their direction.

Thinking that it was meant for him, Bankotsu quickly lifted his halberd from his shoulder and moved it in front of him protectively. But the black mass took a turn at the last moment and hit Kagura instead, which took her completely by surprise.

He watched how it went through her body and hit the wall behind them with a crash, creating a small cloud of dust.

"Naraku...you..." the wind-user groaned as she fell backwards. Right before she hit the floor, Renkotsu dashed forward and caught her.

_'H-he killed one of his subordinates...just like that...'_ Bankotsu thought, his wide eyes fixed on her lifeless body.

"Don't be surprised Shichinintai. I'm sure you would have done the same if you had a useless minion like her." There was not a single drip of mercy in Naraku's voice as he said that.

"You see...for a decade, I had to witness how each assassin she hired failed to accomplish the mission I gave them. There were, however, some of them who got very close, but ultimately they couldn't even kill the one I wanted dead," he explained as he stood up. "So tell me...is there a need to keep such a minion, who brought me nothing but disgrace?"

_'He made her obey him by keeping her heart...and finished her off when he didn't need her anymore...'_ Bankotsu concluded inwardly. He couldn't deny that he and his group had done unforgivable things before but what this man did was worse.

"I assume Kagura hasn't told you about your mission yet, has she?" the youkai changed the topic. "Actually, the task I'm about to give you concerns the Western Lands."

Bankotsu's brows furrowed together. "I thought there was a barrier protecting the Western Lands," he reasoned.

"That's true, but that barrier has a weakness. And there is a way to destroy it. But you probably didn't know that, did you?"

The smirk on the lord's face made him even more despicable but Bankotsu decided to bear the insults until he had heard the whole story.

The barrier had existed even before he had learned how to wield a weapon. His parents, who were still alive back then, told him so many times not to go near it, saying that everybody who tried to cross the border would die. He could clearly remember what he saw on the day he and some friends went to the forest where the borders of the three lands met. Very large troops of the East, consisting of huge youkai, were marching towards the Western Lands. That time, he thought that the ruler of the West would definitely lose the war. But he was shocked when the entire army was reduced to ashes as soon as they crossed a particular creek.

And now, hearing that the barrier actually had a weakness and that it could be destroyed made him a little bit confused. However, he remained composed and calm on the outside, while waiting for Naraku to continue.

"The truth is, that barrier can only prevent youkai from entering, but it renders the Western Lands vulnerable for humans," the crimson-eyed man explained. "But I would be underestimating the human armies of the West if I wanted to win the war using human soldiers. The failed attempts of the assassins I sent so far is a clear demonstration of that. That's why I'm looking for the best of the best."

He cleared his throat before continuing. "The reason why I have been sending all those assassins is because I wanted to take out the person who created that barrier."

"You mean...the princess of the Western Lands?" Bankotsu confirmed.

"Yes, if she dies, the barrier will cease to exist as well."

This information really surprised Bankotsu, though he had to admit that it sounded quite logical. Somehow, a strange kind of excitement began to fill his heart as he imagined how famous they would become if they succeeded in killing the princess and destroying the powerful barrier. Not to mention that it is something that could not be accomplished by preceding assassins.

His thoughts were cut off when Naraku made a sudden remark. "I sense jyaki coming from your group."

Bankotsu turned to the lord and nodded. "Yeah, Kyoukotsu and Ginkotsu are both youkai," he said as he gestured for his two companions to step forward and line up in front of the lord.

"You do realize that they cannot accompany you once you enter the Western Lands, don't you?"

He nodded again. "I know, but I decided to put both of them near the borders and have them back us up in case we're in a disadvantageous situation."

"You know...I'm getting really tired of all of this...I really don't want to see failure this time..." the lord suddenly confessed.

"Don't worry, we won't disappoint you! After all, we are the famous Shichinintai!" said Kyoukotsu.

"I believe your words Shichinintai...but still...I need some assurance..."

Bankotsu felt that something wasn't right about the way he said that and quickly ran to his two youkai comrades. "You two! Step back!" he ordered.

But it was already too late as an invisible force threw him backwards to the wooden floor.

"Bankotsu!" the others cried and ran to his side. "Are you okay?" Jakotsu asked as he helped him up.

"Y-yeah," he replied with a groan. Back on his feet, he quickly turned to Kyoukotsu and Ginkotsu, only to find them trapped inside a black barrier. He flashed a threatening glare at Naraku and growled. "What the hell are you doing!"

"Kukuku," Naraku laughed. "Since they cannot help you with your mission, I decided to keep them here. They'll be my little assurance."

Bankotsu scowled. "What do you intend to do with them?"

"Well that depends on your actions, great leader."

"What do you mean?"

"It means that you are only allowed to succeed," the youkai smirked. "If you fail, both your companions won't live to see another day."

"And if we succeed?" one of the Shichinintai asked.

"I will return them to you alive and well. And of course, you will be grandly rewarded for your efforts," he replied.

"What if I refuse?" Bankotsu snarled.

His reply was a chuckle that couldn't sound more malevolent. And almost instantly, Bankotsu began to wonder if they shouldn't have agreed to come in the first place.

"I'm afraid you don't have that option, Bankotsu," the lord replied with a grin. "If you refuse, your two buddies here will die in an instance."

The leader let out a sigh, realizing the trouble they had put themselves in. "Is there anything we should know about before starting the mission?" he gave in.

"The compassion of you humans never cease to amaze me," the lord laughed. "Don't worry, you will not be restricted by time nor will I send anyone to keep an eye on you. But heed my warning; if I hear anything about you failing the assassination, I will immediately vent my anger on the two demons here. You do understand what that means, don't you?"

He nodded in defeat and turned to his trapped fellow members. "Kyoukotsu, Ginkotsu...I will definitely come back for you, I swear!"

"Don't let us be a burden to you leader," said the green-haired demon. "Kyoukotsu's right, we believe in you Bankotsu; we know you wouldn't let us down," the red-haired one agreed.

Naraku cleared his throat to get their attention. "I will have my servants prepare some rooms for you to stay the night. Before you leave tomorrow morning, be sure to come to me first. I will give you an amount of money that you'll need for the long journey." After he said that, he summoned a male servant and ordered him to lead them to their quarters.

Before leaving the chamber, Bankotsu looked at the two behind the black prison for the last time. The truth is, he couldn't guarantee them that they would succeed, but he will do his best. And if something unfortunate should happen, he prayed he would be faster than the rumors to save them.

-.- one month later -.-

"Bankotsu?" It was Jakotsu who spoke.

"Hm?" he responded without looking up from his journal.

"Shouldn't we make haste? You never know what Naraku might do to Kyoukotsu and Ginkotsu if we don't hurry up and accomplish our mission."

Bankotsu looked up from the papers to his friend. "I know what you're thinking, but Naraku still wants us to take out the mission, that's why I'm pretty sure that he won't try anything stupid. Besides, he won't gain anything if he killed the hostages right away."

"I guess you're right..." Jakotsu responded.

Just when Bankotsu was about drop his gaze to his writing again, he suddenly remembered something important and turned to the rest. "Hey guys, I think it would be a good idea to think about a gathering point in case we got separated," he told them as he put away his journal. "Any suggestions?"

"Sounds good, but the problem is that we don't know this area very well," Renkotsu reasoned while building a structure for the campfire.

"If we can't think of an appropriate location, why not take this spot as our gathering point?" Mukotsu suggested.

The four of them were sitting inside a cave high up in the mountains that were located near the forest between the East and West. It had already been a month since they left the fortress, and this afternoon, they had finally found this abandoned cave that offered them enough protection to take a break. Before crossing the border, they figured it would be wiser to gather more information about the enemies' territory first. Since they were only given one chance, they had to make sure that their mission was flawless.

"Then it's decided," Bankotsu confirmed. "When Suikotsu returns from his patrol, we'll tell him about it."

"Come to think of it, Suikotsu's already been away for more than an hour," Jakotsu recalled. "You think something's happened?"

"Don't worry, I'm sure it's nothing serious," he reassured him. _'Suikotsu's strong...he should be okay on his own if something did happen...'_ he told himself.

Suddenly, he caught a hissing sound coming from the cave entrance.

- HISS...HISSSSS -

Everybody else jumped up after hearing the same noise and grabbed their weapons.

"Nice sense of alertness Shichinintai...no wonder you managed to accomplish every mission without serious injuries..."

"Who's there!" Bankotsu demanded with his halberd in his hand.

A shadow of a snake appeared in the dark opening. "I sure hope you haven't forgotten about us," it hissed.

Shortly after that, the number of shadows increased exponentially until the entire exit was overshadowed. "You've got a lot of nerve killing our leader, now it's time for revenge!"

_'The tribe of the snakes...!'_ Bankotsu realized, recalling their last mission. _'If Kyoukotsu or Ginkotsu was here, we would have noticed their presence long before they had the chance to ambush us...!'_

"There's no escape! Tonight, you all will die!"

With that, the swarm of snakes rushed into the cave

_'We have no chance of survival if we all stay on this side!'_ he concluded and turned to Renkotsu. "Renkotsu! Now!" he cried.

Understanding what he meant, Renkotsu quickly took a sip from his gourd and sent a breath of fire towards the incoming reptiles.

Without another second to hesitate, Bankotsu dashed towards the cave entrance before the temporary path closed again.

On his way out, he slashed at the snakes, not giving them the chance to surround him completely. And to his relief, he finally reached the open air.

But when he turned around, he realized a swarm of snakes was still rushing into the cave, where the rest of his comrades were. "Cursed snakes!" he roared furiously, swinging his halberd to stop them.

"You fell for it, leader of the Shichinintai..."

Bankotsu turned to the hissing voice, but as soon as he did so, a shot of liquid hit him right in the eyes, totally surprising him.

In a split second, a tremendous pain began to burn away his vision.

"AAARRRRRCCK!" he cried out loud.

But he refused to give up. While he bit back the pain, he rushed towards the direction where he thought the cave was and raised his Banryuu single-handedly in the air. Much to his shock, a sudden paralysis struck his body and prevented him from swinging it downwards.

"What's the matter leader of the Shichinintai? Having a hard time to move?"

Bankotsu knew that the snakes were responsible for the paralysis as they were beginning to tighten their bodies around him using their strong muscles. _'Chikusho...I c-can't breath...'_ he cursed in himself.

As he struggled to draw oxygen, the added weight of the reptiles made him lose balance and topple to the side.

With all his might, Bankotsu managed to regain his balance again when something unexpectedly gave him a push towards an unknown direction. The next thing he knew, he was experiencing a fall that seemed like an eternity.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**:  
Just to clarify some things:

Kagome created the barrier when she was about 6 years old. And three years later during the spring season, Kagome (9) had to leave the fortress. At the same time, Naraku ordered Kagura to bring him those who can take out the princess of the Western Lands. And like he said in this chapter, he had been sending (human) assassins to assassinate Kagome for almost a decade, not knowing that she had already left to live somewhere else. But as mentioned, all these attempts failed because the assassins were too weak and inadequate. Because Naraku heard about the famous assassin group called Shichinintai in the North he decided to use Kagura for the very last time to bring them to him.

And in a nutshell: This chapter takes place in the 9th year since Kagome's departure. Kagura and the Shichinintai started their journey towards the East at the end of autumn and they arrived at Naraku's fortress at the end of winter.   
Then the Shichinintai set out to their new destination and arrived near the border between the East and West almost a month later. While they settled down to think about what to do next, they were caught off guard by some old enemies of the North who wanted to avenge their boss (which was the target and victim of their previous mission).

Bankotsu is now about 23 years old, so the barrier was created when he was still 10. He formed the Shichinintai more than a year ago, when he was around 22. And I know that Suikotsu is suffering from a split-personality disorder in the original series, but I chose to use amnesia because I'm not planning to let his other personality play a role in this story.

Hope this clears up a bit about the events and time gaps :)! And I hope you liked this chapter! Please tell me with a review okay? Thanks!

Greets,

Kittymui

-.-.-

_'Italic'_: thoughts  
"...": spoken words  
-.-.-.: time gap  
-CAPSLOCKED WORDS: noises

-.-.-

**Next chapter: Chapter VIII**

-.-

We'll be switching the perspective back to Kagome again so be sure to look forward to the next chapter!

-.-

**Vocabulary:**

**youkai:** demon  
**chikusho:** damn it  
**shichinintai: **literally means 'seven-man-group'

-.-.-

**REPLIES ON REVIEWS:**

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Posted: 8 February 2005  
Last Edited: 8 February 2005  
Spelling check: YES

**DISCLAIMER: **I do not own Inuyasha or any characters of it. And I do not own whatever elements of this story that seem familiar and had already been used by other creative individuals before. But... I do own the idea of mixing all of these elements together into a new story!


	9. Chapter VIII

**A TALE FROM THE PAST**

-by Kittymui-

**CHAPTER VIII**

Somewhere in a dense forest of the Western Lands stood a small house. Its walls were made of wood and its roof of dry hay and reed.

Inside the resident burned a small oil lamp, which created a round shadow on the low table it was resting on. On the wooden floor next to it sat a young woman dressed in navy blue.

Her long raven-black hair was resting against her back that was slightly bent forward. And her dark-brown eyes were focused on the cloths she was holding together with one of her hands. Using the threaded needle in her other hand, she connected the overlapping edges with straight lines consisting of tiny stripes that were almost identical to each other.

She let out a content sigh when she finished attaching the last two pieces of fabric to each other and bit through the thin thread. "Done!" she praised herself with a smile and folded the newly created garment before putting it on the floor next to her.

Out of boredom, she got up and walked towards the only window of the house, which was located not very far away from the door. _'She's late...'_ she thought while pushing away the brown textile curtain to look outside.

It was a strange landscape through the window frame compared to the one she saw during the daytime. The budding trees failed to block the pale light of the moon that made their branches seem thinner than when they were touched by the rays of the sun. And a creepy darkness, which could make people hallucinate, lurked between the trunks where the whitish beams couldn't reach.. But to Kagome, it was like looking at a grayscale portrait, and her eyes slowly traveled upwards to its painter, who was sitting lonely on a dark sparkly carpet.

As she traced the curves of the pale moon, she couldn't help but think about a certain person whose emblem on the forehead had the exact same shape. Her hand unconsciously moved to the leather cord around her neck and with her fingertips, she trailed along it until she reached the three fangs.

"Sesshoumaru onii-sama..." she whispered. _'I wonder how they're doing...and Inuyasha too...'_ she thought, imagining how her little brother would look like after all these years.

It had already been 9 years since she left her family behind and there wasn't a single day that she didn't think about them. It was hard at first, when she just arrived at this place. She remembered how much she had cried when she had to celebrate her birthday without her family for the first time. But as time passed, she gradually got used to it and the number of times she cried began to lessen.

Inside, she couldn't possibly imagine how unbearable it would have been if she had to endure these long years on her own.

"Thinking about your family again?" a voice made her jump up of shock.

"Oh forgive me, hime-sama. I didn't mean to surprise you like that," the person behind her apologized.

She turned away from the window. "Sango, how many times do I have to remind you that you're supposed to call me by my name," she sighed.

"I know! I'm just teasing you!"

She was, like usual, wearing her black youkai taijiya outfit. Her long black hair was tied into a high ponytail and she was carrying a large boomerang behind her back.

"Then don't do that again!" she commanded, her hands placed on her sides. "You never know who might be listening outside."

"Aw Kagome, you know very well that hardly anyone comes here," Sango argued while she put away the bone boomerang.

The taijiya looked around as she sat down on the floor. "Where's Kirara?"

"She went to the creek to wash herself," Kagome replied as she walked away from the window.

Kirara was the name of the fire cat that had been fighting alongside Sango ever since she was little. Normally, Kirara would take the appearance of a harmless cat-like animal with four black paws, a milky fur and an unusual two-tailed rear. But when in battle, she would turn into a large demonic cat with sharp fangs to assist her mistress.

"So...how did it go?" she asked.

Not only was Sango her guardian. She also carried the responsibility of earning their living by helping people. Almost every morning, the taijiya left to search for assignments and came back around dinnertime. And when they needed something that couldn't be gathered in the forests, Sango would always be the one going to villages to buy it.

Kagome's responsibility, on the other hand, was to prepare meals and take care of all the remaining activities regarding their residence. But she had nothing to complain about, since these arrangements were made for the sake of her safety.

"It went quite well. Here's what I've earned today," was her reply and a small bag of coins was handed over.

Kagome's face dropped as she took the bag. "You're always the one doing the hard jobs. I'm so asham-"

"Don't start again Kagome," Sango cut her off. "I didn't hesitate for one second when your father asked for my assistance and I have never regretted the decision to protect you and prevent you from falling into the hands of Naraku."

"I'm sorry..." Kagome apologized with an awkward expression. "I didn't mean to remind you of your past..."

Her guardian was actually the only living member of their youkai exterminator tribe. Once living together with a caring father and a shy little brother, she now had nothing but herself and her demonic companion. Because of Naraku's evil scheming, her family and the entire tribe was wiped out in one single evening.   
As the sole survivor of the massacre, she had vowed to avenge the death of her kin by re-establishing the clan someday and taking out that wretched lord of the Eastern Lands.

But the taijiya eventually shook her head. "Although my vow to avenge my family and tribe was my initial motive for accepting to be your guardian, I now have found another reason." She placed a hand on top of Kagome's head and smiled. "After all these years of living together, I have started to see you more than just a subject of my assignment. You're my only family now, Kagome. That's why I will continue to protect you even if your father suddenly decides to break our contract."

"Thank you," Kagome smiled warmly. She was truly happy to hear those words. To be honest, she had also begun to see Sango more as a big sister than a mere bodyguard.

"Pfew, I'm getting hungry from all this talking," her guardian suddenly let out.

"I'll prepare something for you right away." With that, Kagome walked to the other side of the house; where a stove of stone stood against the wall. She lit up a fire within seconds and placed a pot on top of it. "It won't take very long. I only have to heat it up," she said, putting more logs into the flames. "Oh by the way, I made a new cloak for myself while you're away. It's on the floor right next to the table."

Sango responded with a sigh. "Kagome, I told you that I would buy a new cloak for you in a couple of days."

Kagome stirred the pot's content with a large wooden spoon. "Buying a new cloak is too expensive. Besides, the new cloak turned out pretty well even though it's made of my old clothes."

"But you could have kept those clothes as a part of your childhood memory!"

After ladling part of the pot's content into a small ceramic bowl, she turned around and walked back to Sango. "My memories will always be kept safe between my ears. I don't need physical things," she replied, putting the bowl on the table before her.

The taijiya raised a brow. "Oh? Then what's that thing dangling around your neck?"

"This..." Kagome pointed at the necklace she got from Sesshoumaru. "...is an exception."

"Right..." Sango snorted as she took a first sip of her warm meal.

That moment, Kagome noticed the dirt clinging on her outfit. "Your clothes need a good wash..." she remarked.

"But I need these clothes to go outside and earn money!"

"Then you're staying home tomorrow," she decided. "You've been tiring yourself too much lately. It's time you took a day off."

Her guardian puffed out in defeat. "Okay, whatever you say..._hime-sama_..." she grinned, emphasizing the last part.

Kagome widened her eyes. "Stop that!"

And the both of them burst out laughing.

-.-

The next day, Kagome left their house in the early morning and headed towards the nearby creek with Sango's black garment in her arms. The little fire cat accompanied her by sitting on her shoulder and acted as her guardian instead of the taijiya, who was still sleeping when they departed.

Upon arrival, the fire cat jumped off of her shoulder to scout the area. At the same time, Kagome took out a thin white cord and tied back her long navy sleeves to prevent them from getting wet.

Just when she was about to bow down to the flowing waters with the dirty fabric in her hands, Kirara ran towards her and slightly pulled at the ends of her kimono with her small fangs. "What's wrong?" she asked in puzzlement.

By the continuous pulling, she realized that it was trying to make her go somewhere. Eventually, she decided to check it out and followed Kirara into the forest.

After passing several trees and bushes, they arrived at another clearing along the creek, but this one was much larger than the previous one. Kagome was also familiar with this part of the forest, since she and Sango would occasionally come here to catch fish.

This clearing was namely surrounding the shallowest section of the creek, which was also close to the point where the borders of the West, East and South met.

The most dangerous place was always the safest of them all. It was the same thought that motivated them to choose to live here. Besides its advantageous density, they picked this particular forest out of hundreds also because it was located in a valley between two high and rocky mountains. This place offered them excellent protection since hardly anyone came here, but unfortunately, it also had a drawback: its remoteness severed their connections to the other parts of the Western Lands, making it more difficult for them to earn money and buy things.

But nevertheless, it was a great spot to fish.

Her thoughts were cut off when the fire cat left her and headed towards the creek. "Where are you going?" she shouted as she ran after it. She stopped right before the bank ended and watched how it jumped over several rocks that stuck out of the water surface and suddenly stopped after landing on the third one.

"Kirara, be caref- " Kagome warned but halted when she noticed something in the water near the same rock.

She widened her eyes when she realized it was a person and turned to the fire cat. "Kirara! Go home and tell Sango to come here immediately!" she ordered.

As the small animal disappeared into the woods again, Kagome quickly kicked off her sandals and socks and entered the water. She slightly cringed at the low temperature that reached a bit above her ankles but she endured the coldness as she rolled up the ends of her blue kimono. Slowly and carefully, she started making her way through the slippery floor of the creek. From the stature of the unconscious individual, she knew it was a man. And fortunately, his head was resting on top of the bigger stones in the water, which saved him from drowning.

After successfully dragging him to the dry bank, she finally got the chance to examine his condition. _'He's still breathing...'_ she thought relieved as she saw the weak rising and falling movement of his chest.

It turned out to be a young man, who was probably older than she. He had long black hair, messed up and plastered against his face and body. Curious to how he might look like, she removed some wet strands that were shielding most of his features.

Uncovering his forehead revealed an unusual dark cross-shaped mark and she continued downward. As soon as she pushed aside the last bit of hair, she widened her eyes and gasped. _'How awful...'_ she thought with a concerned expression.

His eyelids and the area around them were red and swollen. And the rest of his face was smothered with mud and a bit of dried blood. From the way he was dressed, Kagome assumed he was some sort of warrior. Although the light-blue armor miraculously remained intact, the protectors around his lower limbs were irreparably damaged and the white garment he wore beneath them was torn open at random places.

As she estimated the gravity of all these injuries, she couldn't help but wonder what trouble he had stumbled upon before he fell into the creek. She untied the rope that held her sleeves together and let down the ends of her kimono. Not long after that, she suddenly caught something shimmering beyond the creek.

But before she could figure out what it was, the transformed fire cat descended from the sky, with Sango on her back, and landed on the grass beside her.

The taijiya, dressed in a simple gray kimono, looked at the situation and turned to her. "Kagome, what happened?" she asked.

"I'll explain later," Kagome replied. "Let's take him to our place first."

They carefully placed the man over Kirara's back and headed back to their small house.

-.-

Once they got back, they immediately laid him on the wooden floor and got rid off his wet clothes. They had no idea how long he had been lying in the water like that but if they didn't do anything to stop his body temperature from falling soon, his condition will become more critical than it already is.

By the time they finished cleaning the wounds and preparing medicinal herbs, it was already late in the afternoon. Not allowing any chance for infections, they quickly bandaged all the high-risk areas and slipped him into some dry clothes.

Both of them let out relieved sighs as they concluded the tending and began to clean up the mess they created. While Sango gathered the bloodstained cloths from the floor and washed the tools they used, Kagome prepared something to eat. After all, they haven't had anything since this morning; it's practically a miracle how they managed to do so much without any breaks.

-.-

"Will he be okay?" Kagome asked as she put down two bowls filled with broth and two small loafs of bread on the low table.

Sango settled down in front of her share. "He's very weak at the moment," she explained. "There's no telling whether he can survive the coming hours or not. But if he survives until sunrise, it'll mean that he's strong enough to hold on."

Consumed by an unexplainable worry and a bit of fatigue, Kagome merely used half of the broth and bread. With the remaining half of the soup in her hands, she stood up and made her way towards the man sleeping on the floor in the back of the room.

"Kagome, you haven't eaten all day. You should fi-"

"I will, Sango...don't worry," she cut her off as she knelt down and put the bowl next to her.

Gently, she shoved her arm beneath the man's shoulders and lifted him from the thin pillow to rest on her lap. A caring expression appeared on her face as she moved a half spoon of broth to his dry lips.

While she fed him, her eyes drifted towards his swollen eyelids. "What...about his eyes?" she asked.

"That injury is probably caused by the contact with some sort of venom," was Sango's reply.

"Don't we have a cure for it?"

She shook her head. "I cannot give him an antidote just like that. Without knowing what kind of venom we're dealing with, arbitrarily applying remedies would be even more life-threatening than the venom itself."

Kagome dropped her face. "Isn't there anything we can do?"

"Don't worry too much Kagome. The most important thing to do right now is to keep his eyes as clean as possible at all times. This way, we might slow down the poison from making him permanently blind," her guardian told her.

"I understand," she nodded. "I will wound a cloth around his eyes to protect them and prevent him from opening them too often."

Her sentence was followed by a moment of silence.

During the stillness, Kagome drowned in her own thoughts. She didn't know anything about the man, yet inside, she hoped very much that he would be able to pass this evening safely. But why?

"Euhm...Kagome?"

She snapped out of it and turned to look at her guardian, who drew her attention.

"Just how long are you going to let him stay on your lap like that?" she asked out of the blue.

Kagome shifted her eyes to her lap, only to meet the young man's sleeping face. She realized that she had emptied the bowl of broth a while ago and blushed. "Ah...well...I..." she stammered and quickly laid him back down on the pillow.

As soon as Kagome returned to sit down near the table, Sango burst out laughing. "You should have seen your own face back there," she teased. "It was almost as red as the setting sun!"

Kagome's cheeks became redder than before. "Sango! Stop laughing!"

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**:  
Oops sorry, updating this chapter took longer than I had expected -glares at muses-. Homework is so-so, but I'm having some inspiration problems lately. I know what I want to write but I'm having trouble with how to write it. It sucks...anyway I still hope you liked this chapter!

By the way, be sure to check out stories of Kyia Star, she's got great stories under her name :)! And I recommend the stories of BelleDayNight as well!

Greets,

Kittymui

-.-.-

_Italic_: thoughts  
"...": spoken words  
-.-.-.: time gap  
-CAPSLOCKED WORDS: noises

-.-.-

**Next chapter: Chapter IX**

-.-

Guess you all know who got fished up from the creek :). In the next chapter we'll see what happen after the same night! Be sure to look forward to it ne?

-.-

**Vocabulary:**

**youkai taijiya: **demon exterminator  
**hime-sama:** 'hime' means 'princess', by adding the suffix '-sama' makes it more respectable.

-.-.-

**REPLIES ON REVIEWS:**

**Kyia Star: **The dialogue quotation marks-problem is fixed! Thanks for telling me :)!

**Duzzie: **I'm glad to hear that! Yup, Kagome is 19 right now.

**Wake-Robin: **Thanks. Hahaha it would be too sad if one of the main characters had to die. Hope you liked this chapter as well!

**Skye:** Thank you!

**sakurakitsune14:** Hahaha, true!

**eMeLyNoOoPeE:** I will continue this fic until it's done, don't worry! Thanks for reviewing!

**Angel of Darkness and Death: **Guess what? I made Kagome save Bankotsu :), liked it? Hahaha, anyway Kagome is 19 years old and thanks for reviewing!

**sessywuve:** Glad you loved it! I'll try to update as soon as possible!

**Skitzoflame:** I guess you didn't have to wait too long huh:)

**Kokoro Mizu no Kaze: **Sorry for the late update this time. Hope you enjoyed this chapter too!

**x0xprincess-sakurax0x:** I'll try!

**Inukamisashi: **About the smsac thing (mobile network), I tried to accept your invitation but it didn't work before. Luckily you sent me another invitation :). Thanks!

**evilmaniac: **Thanks thanks! I'll try to update as soon as possible next time!

**Sirayme: **And as usual, it encourages me to go on when reading your reviews :)! Looking forward to your next review hehehe!

**whitewolfmoro11: **-sweatdrops- I sure hope that was a positive smiley...

**sailorstarwinter: **Sorry for the late update, but I hope it was worth the wait!

**starfighter48: **Thank you!

**BelleDayNight: **How did you like this one?

Posted: 17 Feb 2005  
Last Edited: 17 Feb 2005  
Spelling check: YES

**DISCLAIMER: **I do not own Inuyasha or any characters of it. And I do not own whatever elements of this story that seem familiar and had already been used by other creative individuals before. But... I do own the idea of mixing all of these elements together into a new story!


	10. Chapter IX

**A TALE FROM THE PAST**

by Kittymui-

**CHAPTER IX**

_'W-where am I...?'_

_'What...happened...?'_

His sore body told him that he was alive and awake, but his vision showed him nothing but pure darkness. Slowly, he lifted his hand from the flat surface he was lying on and moved it towards his eyes. _'What's this?'_ he thought surprised when his hand found something covering his eyes. But as soon as he put a bit more pressure on his fingertips to feel what it was, a shot of pain ran through his head and made him cringe. _'What the hell is wrong with my eyes?'_

Suddenly, the sound of footsteps in a distance caught his attention.

Almost immediately, he placed his arm back to where it was before and relaxed. Whoever it was, he knew it would be better to wait until he was in a more advantageous position if he wanted some answers.

A few steps closer, the walking paused and was shortly interrupted by the opening and closing a wooden door.

Patiently, he waited until the footsteps approached him. As soon as the person stopped walking and knelt down next to him, he used all his might to sit up and moved his hands around him. To his luck, he managed to get hold of something that felt like a wrist and without a moment to hesitate, he gave it a rough yank.

Within seconds, he pinned down the person below him. "Tell me! Where am I and what have you done to my eyes?" he demanded, trying to sound threatening but ended up panting. _'Chikusho...I took my current condition too lightly...'_ he cursed as his body ached even more than before. As a matter of fact, he was barely able to remain in the position he was in.

"A-are you okay...?"

The voice startled him. _'A-a woman...!'_ he realized and let go of her wrist. But just when he wanted to shift away, a heavy dizziness took over and his arms began to fail to support his upper body. _'Why isn't she moving away!'_ he groaned inwardly. _'I-I can't...h-hold it...'_ With the last bit of his strength, he quickly made his body topple to the side in order to save the woman from being squashed by his full weight.

Before he completely lost consciousness, he could faintly hear the same voice frantically calling out to him.

"Hey! Are you okay! Don't fall asleep!"

.-.

Kagome was surprised when the man, whom she thought to be asleep, suddenly sat up the moment she knelt down beside him. Even more shocked was she when she found herself pinned down a few seconds later.

His long untied hair glided over his shoulders and landed on the wooden floor to the left and right of her face. And his long-sleeved brown shirt was still swinging a little from his quick and sudden movement.

"Tell me! Where am I and what have you done to my eyes?"

He was frustrated and angry, she could tell from the way he demanded answers. But as soon as she heard his heavy breathing and saw the countless sweat drops shimmering around the dark cross on his forehead, she couldn't help but worry instead being afraid. "A-are you okay...?" she asked out of concern.

Right after her question, the grip around her wrist disappeared. But Kagome's intention to move away wavered at the sight of his struggling to keep balance. And before she knew it, the man had already fallen to his side next to her.

"Hey! Are you okay! Don't fall asleep!" she shouted at him, but realized that he couldn't hear her anymore.

She carefully moved him back to lie on his back. _'Good...he's still breathing...'_ she thought as she wiped away the sweat drops on his face with the sleeve of her blue kimono. After he had survived the first night, she was still afraid that he might stay asleep forever since the process of recovery showed no progress. Now that he had finally woken up, the relief she felt made her completely forget that he was actually threatening her a short moment ago.

.-.

"W-water..."

Kagome perked up her head at the sudden request and quickly put a stop on her activities. With a bowl of water in her hand, which she prepared in advance, she made her way towards the young man on the floor.

She lifted his head and shoulders with her free arm and placed the bowl to his dry lips. "It's water, drink it."

In three gulps the bowl was emptied and Kagome placed it on the floor next to her. "More?"

The man shook his head. "Where...am I?" he asked as he tried to sit up.

"You're near the southern borders of the Western Lands," she replied. "Here, let me help you."

She gently shoved him over the floor towards the back wall and withdrew her supporting arm when he was leaning fully against it. As she created a bit more distance between them, she watched how he raised his hand to the thin green cloth that was wound around his head. "About your eyes," she began. "They were red and swollen by the time I found you in the creek. Until now, I have only been cleaning them with clear water to prevent infections, because I have no idea what exactly caused the injury."

"It was a snake..." he told her after a moment of silence. "...a snake spat its venom at me and everything became dark before my eyes...and then I fell..."

_'So it was poison after all,'_ Kagome thought to herself. "Do you recall what kind of snake it was?"

He shook his head. "I was blinded before I even had the chance to...and it was too dark back then."

"I see..." she nodded understandingly. _'Then...he might not...'_ Halfway the thought, she shook it off of her. "Well, knowing that it's snake poison should be enough to find a cure for it, but in the meantime, you shouldn't open your eyes too often since they are too vulnerable at the moment."

"I understand..." he replied.

.-.

The woman got to her feet and walked away from him. The sound of water that filled the room reminded him of what she said earlier.

_'She found me in the creek huh...?'_ he thought as he slowly began to remember what had happened. _'I didn't fall off that cliff...'_ he corrected his memories. _'I was pushed...I guess I was lucky to have survived the fall...'_

He snapped back into reality when the woman spoke again. "By the way, do you want to eat something?"

Almost at the same time, his stomach softly complained about its emptiness. "Euhm, if it's not too inconvenient..." was his modest answer.

"Of course not! I haven't had breakfast either so it's okay."

"It's morning?" he inquired.

"Yeah, the sun came up a few hours ago."

The notion of time, which he was unable to grasp at the moment, suddenly made him uneasy. "How long have I been sleeping?"

"If I'm not mistaking, you've been sleeping for five days already," she replied. "I thought you might never wake up again."

His body twitched. _'Five days!'_

Worry filled his mind as he thought about the four companions, who were still inside the cave back then when they were ambushed. _'If Suikotsu made it back in time...they should be fine...and they're pretty strong...'_ he comforted himself.

His mind became empty when a nice mouthwatering smell of meat and vegetables filled his nose. _'Haven't smelled something this nice in a long time...'_ he thought dreamily.

"It's done!"

He could hear her walking over the tmber and kneeling down in front of him.

"Open your mouth."

"W-what?" he reacted surprised.

"How am I supposed to feed you if you don't open your mouth?"

_'Feed me?'_ He was dumbfounded but the woman gave him no chance to argue.

"You can't eat on your own yet, now open up!"

From the pitch in her voice, he knew she was becoming annoyed and finally parted his lips in defeat.

A spoon entered his mouth and a small portion of warm liquid glided over his tongue. _'It's delicious.'_ he thought and swallowed. Automatically, he parted his lips again and waited for the next spoon.

"Thank you...for saving my life..." he interrupted. "And I'm sorry for what I did earlier."

"You mean yesterday? It's okay, I know how you were probably feeling," she said as she gave him another portion.

But the more soup entered his mouth, the more he thought about his situation. Never since the death of his parents had he felt so helpless before. How can he complete the mission if he can't even eat by himself? With his current handicap, he doubted he could defend himself properly, let alone killing someone as heavily guarded as the princess of the Western Lands.

Being deep in thoughts, he didn't notice that the feeding had ended and that his body was all tensed up. He was completely taken by surprise when a warm hand was placed over his clenched fist.

"You must be tired, you should get some rest."

Her gentle voice somehow calmed him down.

"I'll replace your bandages when you wake up again." While she said that, he felt an arm supporting his shoulder and slowly laying him back down.

_'She's right...I should worry about myself before everything...the first thing to do right now is to recover from the injuries...'_

With that decided, he relaxed and fell into a deep sleep.

.-.

_'How long have I slept?'_

Slowly, he drifted out of slumber again while the distant sound of a howling wolf enlightened him about the time of the day.

He didn't notice it before but suddenly he heard someone talking.

"Now that he's woken up, we'll have him leave this place immediately."

_'Who's talking...?'_

"But he hasn't completely recovered yet!"

It was the voice of the one who saved him.

"It's even more dangerous if he stays. Did you see his wounds? How do we know he's not being pursued by assassins?"

"A reason more we should let him stay! You said yourself that nobody ever comes here!"

A short silence.

"No matter what, I will not send him away nor will I allow you to do so and that's final!"

After that, one of the two individuals stomped back into the room and sat down with a thump not very far away from him. There was no way he could've figured out whether it was the woman of this morning or the other woman she was arguing with, had it not been for the soft 'baka' she muttered.

Inside, he couldn't help but wonder if she would still be willing to defend him and let him stay if he told her what he did for the living. _'Probably not...' _he chuckled, not realizing that he had done it aloud.

.-.

_'That Sango...how could she possible get the idea in her head to send him away like that!' _she fumed inwardly as she sat down on the hard floor. She snapped out of her anger when she caught the soft chuckle coming from behind and suddenly realized that she wasn't alone in the house.

_'Great...you just had to stomp into the room, didn't you?'_ she mentally smacked herself. "G-gomen...did I wake you up?"

"No...I woke up a while ago," he replied.

She should be glad that she hadn't woken him up but the fact that he was already awake made her feel more awkward than before. "Oh...then you overheard..."

"Who was that?" he asked curiously.

Kagome was about to answer but refrained herself just in time. _'Saying that Sango's my guardian would be too conspicuous and might reveal my identity...Even if he isn't dangerous, he's still a stranger...' _she warned herself. "I was talking to my older sister back there."

"The both of you live here on your own?"

The question made her hesitant as it reminded her of her dear family back in the fortress. "Our parents were killed when I was 5...it was a sudden attack. My sister protected me and together, we fled to this place. We have lived here ever since..." she said with a sad voice. Although it was a lie, a tiny part of it was still true.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked..." he apologized.

"No, it's okay. I've already gotten used to it now," she told him and decided to change the topic. "I almost forgot. I said I would change your bandages if you woke up." After she said that, she stood up to get the needed equipments.

A couple of minutes later, she was already diligently removing the old bandages from his legs.

"Did you...find a cure?" the man suddenly asked when she undid the cloth around his eyes.

"I told my sister about it and she gave me some medicine," she explained while putting some of the medicine on a piece of textile. "But she said it was only an antidote for general snake-poison, which I can only apply externally on your eyelids. In order to restore you eyesight, we need to nullify the poison from within, but to do that we need to know from what kind of snake it came. This medicine is only able to weaken the poison's aggressiveness and prevent it from destroying your vision."

Carefully, she touched the red area around his eyes with the cloth. She gasped when he suddenly flinched at the contact. "I-I'm sorry! Did I hurt you?" she apologized.

"N-no...no...actually...it was quite refreshing..." he said with a small smile. "P-please...go on."

Hearing that, she continued dabbing his eyelids. "I'm so sorry..."

.-

He was surprised to hear her repeated apology. "I told you that it didn't hurt, so-"

"No, I'm not talking about that," she cut him off.

_'Huh?'_ he thought with a raised brow.

"I told you that we would be able to find a cure...yet I-"

This time, he decided to cut her off. "It's not your or your sister's fault, so don't worry about it."

_'Yes...I can only blame myself for being careless...'_ he scolded himself. _'The rest looked up to me as a leader because I'm the strongest and now I've become the weakest. It'll take a long time before I can even wield a weapon...'_

The thought instantly reminded him of his favorite weapon and he darted his eyes around, as if he was trying to sense its presence.

"What's wrong?"

He turned to the voice. "When you found me, have you seen a large halberd nearby?" he asked.

The woman thought for a second. "As a matter of fact, I did. But I couldn't lift it up even with the help of my sister. Using Kirara's demonic strength, we were merely able to drag it over the grass to hide it in some bushes."

"Who's Kirara?"

"Oh...forgive me. Kirara is a fire cat but we see her as a part of the family," she explained.

"You must be very strong to wield such a heavy weapon...are you a warrior or something?"

_'A warrior? Me...?'_ He was amused by her naivety. "No..." he answered.

Should he tell her the truth? She would definitely not buy it if he said he was a simple traveler.

"Since you're my lifesaver, I'll be honest with you...I'm an assassin," he confessed bluntly. "I'm one of those that kill for money."

He let out a soft 'hmp' when no reaction came. "You must be regretting your decision to save me, don't you? Can't say I blame you for that," he chuckled as he held up both his hands. "These hands of mine are soiled with the blood of countless humans and youkai, so-"

His sentence stopped in the middle when the woman forced him to stretch out his arms.

"All right! If you keep them stretched out like this, it'll be easier for me to swathe the new bandage," she said.

_'Didn't she hear what I just said?'_ he frowned. "Aren't you afraid of me?"

"Should I be?"

"Well...I'm an assassin...and I-"

"Assassins are also humans..."

He was astonished by her words. She wasn't wrong but it was still quite bewildering to hear it from a person whose parents were killed.

"Of course, killing people for money doesn't justify the fact that you've taken a life," she continued. "But at least it's a reason. And I'm sure it's because you needed the money, didn't you?"

"My parents were killed for practically no reasons at all. We lived our lives to the fullest, and yet..."  
(**AN:** Kagome is actually referring to how she lost her real father.)

Her voice faltered, making the atmosphere heavier than it already was.

With guilty feelings filling his heart, he didn't know what to say anymore. By wrongly assuming that she would regret of having saved him, he had possibly insulted her and now he felt even more sorry for making her remember her sad past.

Just when he parted his lips to apologize, the woman finished bandaging his arms and stood up.

"But you know..." she suddenly began as she moved further away from him. "...somehow...I can feel that you are actually a good-hearted person even though you're an assassin."

With that said, she opened the door and left the room, leaving him behind in thoughts.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**:  
Here I am again! Hope you liked this installment! By the way, there's a test coming up so it'll taking more time for the next update! Please review and tell me what you think so far okay? Thanks! 

Greets,

Kittymui

.-.-.

_'Italic'_: thoughts  
"...": spoken words  
-.-.-.: time gap  
-CAPSLOCKED WORDS: noises

.-.-.

**Next chapter: Chapter X**

.-.

Well, nothing much to say about the next chapter. We'll just continue to look at our two main characters :). Be sure to look forward to it!

.-.

**Vocabulary:**

**chikusho: **damn it  
**gomen:** I'm sorry  
**baka:** stupid/moron  
**youkai:** demon

.-.-.

**REPLIES ON REVIEWS:**

**eMeLyNoOoPeE: **Thank you :). As for your question, I'm not planning to return to the "real" world before Bankotsu's done with reading this book.

**whitewolfmoro11: **-relieved sigh- For a moment, I thought it was a negative one haha. Too bad your review got erased, now I'm curious to what you actually wrote in it :). Hope this chapter was good as well!

**AnimeMoonlightGoddess:** I will!

**Skitzoflame: **How did you like the awakening of Bankotsu?

**sessywuver:** Glad you loved it! Well...-refrains herself from spoiling the storyline-...euhm...perhaps after Bankotsu's done with the book?

**xxprincess-sakuraxx:** Yay! You reviewed again! Thanks! You probably mean Kag and Ban meeting in real person don't you? At the moment, he's still stuck with reading this "book" :p so it might take some more chapters.

**Inukamisashi**: You're very welcome!

**Wake-Robin: **Not in the real world...but I guess you can already predict that Kagome will die eventually in the book we're reading at the moment :). Thanks for reviewing, hope you liked this chapter too!

**Angel of Darkness and Death: **Thanks for reviewing!

**Kokoro Mizu no Kaze:** Thank you :)! I'll try to update as soon as possible!

**BelleDayNight:** I'm so happy you think that way :)! You're reviews are very encouraging! Kagome is 19 by the way. Your stories are great as well, too bad I haven't got much time to read lately -sigh-. As much as I want to shift the perspective to the fortress right now, I can't do that yet. I think you'll understand why once I've reached the last page of the book :). Nope, it's not an elaborate setup to meet Kagome (you probably already figured that out), because the Shichinintai never seen her before, nor do they know where she was hiding. So far, Bankotsu and the rest are still convinced that the princess of the Western Lands is still inside the fortress, hope that clears up a bit. As for Bankotsu's injuries, he fell after the snakes blinded him. So he rolled down the cliff and ended up in the creek that was flowing towards the south, hence he's now near the southern borders of the Western Lands.

**FanFic-Faerie-Rikku91: **I'm really really glad you that like it :)!

**sakurakitsune14:** Thanks for reviewing!

**personwithnoname:** Just wait and see :).

**Fluffy'sbabe: **Hahaha, he's injured remember? And she can't see his eyes so I don't think she thinks he's handsome (yet). But he IS handsome, that I have to agree with you :)!

**Duzzie: **I'm glad you like this story so far! Thank you for reviewing it hihihi!

**Tamia:** Once again, thank you so much for reading and reviewing!

**Sirayme:** Yup, definitely like them! About my inspiration problems, they're periodical...really annoying indeed!

Posted: 26 Feb 2005  
Last Edited: 26 Feb 2005  
Spelling check: YES

**DISCLAIMER: **I do not own Inuyasha or any characters of it. And I do not own whatever elements of this story that seem familiar and had already been used by other creative individuals before. But... I do own the idea of mixing all of these elements together into a new story!


	11. Chapter X

**A TALE FROM THE PAST**

by Kittymui

**CHAPTER X**

"Careful," she said as she helped him up.

With one of his arms draped over her shoulder, she supported him while they exited the house and entered the forest.

"This is a very thick forest," he suddenly remarked.

Without looking away from their path, Kagome raised her brows in surprise. "You can tell?"

He nodded. "The sounds of the trees and bushes are very frequent and nearby."

To be honest, she didn't agree when he said he wanted to retrieve his halberd the morning after he mentioned it. But he was stubborn, just like herself, so she had no other choice than helping him.

_'Oh well...maybe the fresh air will do him good...'_ she thought as she glanced sideward at his face, which was blindfolded with a black cloth. As her attention strayed from the road, she didn't notice a section of roots sticking out of the ground in front of her feet and tripped over it. "Woah!" she cried.

But when she softly thumped against a warm chest instead of hitting hard dirt, she realized that the young man had caught her. His arm, which was resting on her shoulders before, was now secured around her waist and holding her close to him.

_'It's warm...'_ she thought as a wave of nostalgia filled her mind. She hadn't been held like this for a long time now. The last time would be nine years ago when she said goodbye to Sesshoumaru at the gate of the fortress.

"Are you okay?"

His voice made her snap back into reality. Almost instantly, she became aware the close proximity between them and she quickly took a step backwards out of his embrace. "Y-yeah...thanks," she stammered.

Suddenly she felt quite relieved that his eyes were still covered or else he would have seen her cheeks, which were several shades of red at the moment. "We shouldn't be too far from it now," she broke the awkward silence and went to his side to be his support again.

As they continued to walk, Kagome wondered why she had been so eager to help this stranger and why she was still trying so hard to help him. It was never her nature to pity people, that, she could be sure of. Her eyes drifted upwards to the strings of white clouds in the azure sky as she reminded herself of the dream she had been seeing from time to time, in which she would find herself encaged by fiery flames. The dream began with fear, despair and darkness, which the blazing cage couldn't even enlighten. And then, out of nowhere, a silhouette of a warrior would suddenly appear. He would extinguish the flames to rescue her and take her away to a faraway land, where they could live happily ever after.

This dream recurred several times already, but she had no idea why. It could be some kind of vision of things that are yet to happen, but perhaps it's just sheer loneliness and naivety.

She stole a quick glance at the man walking beside her. Maybe it's because he's the first new person she had got to meet ever since she left the fortress. _'Could he be that warrior from my dreams...?'_ she mused, only to shake off the thought afterwards. _'Don't be silly Kagome. He's an assassin remember? He'll most likely leave this isolated hole the moment he's able to see again.'_

Her face dropped at the conclusion, but her motivation to help him recover did not. She shoved aside her mental ranting as soon as they arrived at the clearing where she had found him. "This is the place where I found you," she told him and led him alongside the border to some bushes. "We hid it somewhere around here if I'm not mistaking..."

"Ah! There it is!"

She slightly pulled him down to a crouching position and guided his hand to the long hilt of the large weapon.

Despite of having seen it before, she was still amazed by its size and she doubted if he would be able to wield it at all.

Her eyes widened in an instant when he single-handedly pulled the halberd out of the shrubs and placed it with ease on his right shoulder. The halberd was unmistakably larger than the man, yet he showed no sign of exhaustion or difficulty on his face. She had to admit that his unusual strength was a bit scary but she also realized that with his current inability to see, he was more vulnerable than she was.

With that thought, she took hold of his free arm. "Let's go back. It's not good to be outside too long in your condition," she suggested.

"Okay," he agreed.

.-.

Upon arriving at the house, she told him to place the halberd on the floor. It had become dirty of lying unprotected in the open nature and they both recognized the need to cover up the sharp edges and the pointy crescent-shaped symbol attached to the end of the hilt.

While the man sat down on the floor next to the weapon, she gathered the needed things for the cleaning. With a small bucket of water and a piece of cloth in her hands, she returned to his side.

Just when she was about to touch the metal with the wet cloth, a hand got hold of her shoulder and halted her. "It's better if I do it," he told her.

"But you-"

"Even though I can't see, I think I'm still more experienced with cleaning weapons than you are," he cut her off and demanded the cloth with an open hand.

"If you say so..." she gave in with a sigh and placed the fabric on his palm before standing up. "Then I'm going to prepare some large cloths for your weapon and a new bandage for your eyes."

.-.

While he doubled the cloth's thickness for Banryuu's sharp edges, he sunk into his own thoughts.

It was good to know that his fighting partner survived the fall and remained undamaged. The weapon had been accompanying him even before he established the Shichinintai and had saved his life countless times. He couldn't possibly imagine what he would do if it had gone missing or if it was destroyed.

With his ears, he followed the movements of the woman as she walked from here to there. He knew inside that had it not been for her, he wouldn't even be sitting here right now. She had really done a lot for him. It was not his intention to reject her aid but the last thing he wanted to see was she getting her fingers cut off by his halberd.

"By the way..." he suddenly thought of something. "I haven't asked you your name yet."

It was funny how it failed to cross his mind to ask the name of his lifesaver, but then again, it had only been 2 days since he awoken. It was only natural for him to be more occupied with his injuries than formal introductions.

After a short moment, she settled down behind him. "My name's Kagome," she replied, followed by the sound of putting down a pile of fabric and a small bottle. "And yours?"

His head perked up at the name, completely forgetting her question. _'Kagome huh? Where have I heard the name before...?'_ he thought as he halted his activity. Then a sudden realization struck him. _'Wait a minute! Isn't that also the name of princess of the Western Lands?'_

_'But it doesn't make sense...'_ he reasoned inwardly. _'Why would a member of the Royal family be living in the middle of the wilderness?'_

The longer he thought about it, the more confused he became. But the pondering stopped when he felt the cloth around his eyes being untied.

"Your eyes look a lot better now," she told him. "The redness have faded and they're not so swollen anymore." Her voice was filled with relief and gentleness, which somehow eased his mind. _'It's probably just a coincidence...'_ he shook off the previous thoughts. _'It's not unusual for two persons to have the same name.'_

Again, his thoughts were interrupted, but this time by a familiar refreshing feeling landing on his sensitive eyelids. "It's nice..." he said softly after a moment of silence.

"Yeah, the medicine is really-"

"No...I meant your name..." he smiled, not blaming her for misunderstanding him.

"Oh...t-thank you..."

"I'm Bankotsu by the way," he finally answered her question.

"Bankotsu...that's a nice name too," she complimented as she wound a new cloth around his eyes. "A couple more days and there would probably be no need to cover your eyes anymore."

"Thank goodness! You can't imagine how tiring it is to keep my eyes shut all the time. I hope I haven't forgotten how to open them," he laughed as he continued to clean his halberd.

And Kagome laughed along.

.-. somewhere in a forest far away .-.

The fresh breezes of spring glided pass his soft cheeks as he soared through the air. His long silver manes, billowing in sync with his red robe, framed a young face and a pair of gold-amber orbs filled with untamed ambition and vigor.

He slightly bent his knees upon landing on a branch of a tree that rose above the green carpet of treetops and threw a glance backwards. "Heh! There's no way he can catch me now," he smirked. But as soon as he turned to look ahead, a figure blocked the great scenery.

_'Great...'_ he sulked inwardly as he knew who it was.

"You've failed again."

"Yeah, I know..." he grumbled as he looked up. The demonic individual was much taller than himself, probably twice his height, and he wore a white haori and hakama with red edges. On top of that, he had equipped himself with traditional armor, held together by a thick yellow sash around his waist, which protected his torso.

Facing his graceful yet appalling stature, he felt a strange sort of admiration instead of fear. This person in front of him wasn't just some demon; his name was Sesshoumaru, or better known as the rightful successor of the current lord of the Western Lands. But to him, he was none other than his big brother.

Although they had some outer features in common like the color of their hair and eyes, there was still something that caused him to look up to his brother. Other than the dark markings on his face, the pointy ears on both sides of his head and the furry white tail resting on his right shoulder, this dog demon also possessed something he could never achieve.

Pure blood.

A disheartened expression appeared on his face as he sat down on the timber with a soft thud.

"Do you intend to give up?"

He shook his head. The truth is, he would never allow himself to give up that easily.

"Then stand up," the full-blooded dog demon ordered.

He did as he was told but didn't lift up his face.

"Do you know why you fail time after time?"

"Because I'm a hanyou," he replied flatly.

His answer earned him a heavy pat between his white canine ears.

"Wrong!"

"Ow!" he cried, staring up at Sesshoumaru. "Then tell me! What am I doing wrong!"

"You failed because you haven't developed your potentials to their fullest yet," his brother explained. "More accurately, it's because you keep reminding yourself that you're weaker-"

"I'm not!" he denied angrily.

The grown-up demon knelt down until their faces were on the same height. "You're not," he agreed with him. "Having your mother's human blood flowing inside you only makes you stronger and not weaker. Do you know why Inuyasha?"

He shook his head.

"More than any other living creature, humans are egoistical and have never-ending desires. And you have inherited that blood," he told him. "That's why you will never accept defeat. Your strong desire to fight is like an endless source of strength and that's what makes you even stronger than a full-blooded demon like me."  
(**AN:** I got this from the third movie. Pretty nice said don't you think?)

A sudden confidence filled his heart and a wide smile appeared on his face. "Really?"

"I don't lie."

"Is that so...?" Inuyasha tilted his head slightly. "So...you'll tell the truth whatever I ask you?"

Sesshoumaru straightened up and folded his arms together. "Depends on what you ask," he said.

"Then tell me...is it true that I have an older sister?" he asked with a serious face.

He noticed the sudden change of expression on his brother's face and knew he had hit the jackpot. "Well? Are you going to answer that or not?" he pressed on.

His brother let his arms hang loosely at his side and took his time. "It's true," he finally replied.

Although he had already expected such an answer, he was still bewildered to hear it as a fact. "How come no-one ever told me about it?"

"It's because you're still too young to-"

"I'll be turning ten in a month! I'm old enough!" he cut him off. "Please tell me! Aw come on! I have the right to know! Please?"

"All right...all right, just stop the dishonorable pleading," the demon gave in annoyed and surveyed their surroundings for possible eavesdroppers.

"It's already been nine years..." he began after he made sure nobody was in the vicinity.

The two brothers sat down on the thick branch, and memories of the past were refreshed and told.

.-. later .-.

"She must be lonely..." Inuyasha said after hearing the whole story. "Poor aneue." When he looked aside, he saw a hint of sadness on his brother's face. "You miss her...don't you?"

"Not only me, father and mother miss her as well," he admitted. "But there's nothing we can do about it. It's for her own safety."

"That's just an excuse!" he blurted out. "We were able to withstand that bastard's attacks until now, even though it's an empty room we're protecting, so why can't we bring her back to live with us?"

A slight shake of the head disproved his reasoning. "It's true that Naraku's attempts to assassinate Kagome were unsuccessful, but that's only because he had been sending weak assassins so far. Although there haven't been any activities since last attack several months ago, there's a chance he might be gathering some strong forces or preparing for another assault at the moment. We can't be too careful about that."

The hanyou dropped his face and fumbled with his long red sleeves. _'This is so unfair for aneue...why does she have to be the one suffering...alone...?'_ he thought inwardly. _'There has to be something that can be done...'_

A sudden idea popped up and he jumped to his feet. "I know! I'm going to get stronger!" he stated determinedly and turned to his brother, who gave him a surprised look. "If I become really strong, I'll be able to protect aneue and then she'll be able to live with us without having to worry about possible attacks! Right?"

But Sesshoumaru showed no response. "Rested enough?" he asked while straightening himself up.

Inuyasha grinned. "You bet!" He was definitely ready for some action again.

Both of them jumped into a ready-to-go position. "I won't lose this time! You're not going to catch me anymore!" he snickered.

"Hmp. If you succeed this time, I will teach you another claw attack," the older of the two stated.

"You mean there's one more powerful than Sankon Tessou?" Inuyasha's gold-amber eyes glowed with spirit. "All right!"

"But if you fail..." the full-blooded dog demon added. "You will not ever mention Kagome again."

The hanyou widened his eyes in disbelief. "W-what! B-but-"

"I will not repeat myself Inuyasha," he stated coldly.

It really ticked him off. _'He miss her too...then why...?'_ he thought, lightly frustrated, but quickly shook it off. Why his brother didn't want to mention his dearest sister, he didn't understand. Maybe it was meant to discourage him, maybe not. Although it was unreasonable, it was nevertheless an excellent motivation for him to do his best.

"Feh!" he stuck up his nose. "Then I'll just have to win, don't I?"

Without saying anything else, he set off with his bare feet and jumped forward into the air, leaving his big brother behind.

While making his way towards a distant treetop, he looked over his shoulders at the branch where he stood before. _'Huh?'_ He blinked several times to make sure it wasn't the distance creating illusions. There was no mistaking it.

Sesshoumaru, who was still standing there, was looking at him with a proud smile on his face for the very first time.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**:  
Hey people! After some thinking, I've eventually decided to shift back the perspective to the fortress. At first, I thought there were some constraints like I told BelleDayNight in my reply to her review of the previous chapter, but after reminding myself of something very important (which I will restrain myself from telling you at the moment :P), I realized I was wrong. The only thing I can tell you right now is that everything is still going as planned and all will be solved at the end :) so please be patient okay? 

Greets,

Kittymui

.-.-.

_'Italic'_: thoughts  
"...": spoken words  
-.-.-.-: time gap  
-CAPSLOCKED WORDS-: noises

.-.-.

**Next chapter: Chapter VI**

.-.

In the next chapter, we'll see more of Kagome and Bankotsu. Look forward to it!

.-.

**Vocabulary:**

**youkai taijiya: **demon exterminator  
**hanyou: **half-demon  
**aneue: **royal/honorable older sister (an old respectful way to address your older sister)  
**aniue:** royal/honorable older brother (an old respectful way to address your older brother)  
**Sankon Tessou:** a claw attack used by Inuyasha, literally means 'Soul-Shattering Iron Claws'

.-.-.

**REPLIES ON REVIEWS:**

**xxprincess-sakuraxx:** Hehehe, sorry for the suspence but I can't really rush this no matter how eager I am to finish this story :).

**Angel of Darkness and Death:** I'm doing my best! I like fluff situations too, but I can't really make them closer at the moment since they've only met a few days. Just be patient okay :)? I'll read your story once I'm done with homework!

**shadows-insanity:** Thanks. Although it was short, I still hope you liked the Inu and Sess part :). But sorry, I can't have Sesshoumaru meet Kagome right now, but I have something planned for them, don't worry!

**BelleDayNight:** Thanks for the nice long review! Glad you liked it! Hope AuthorAlert is working properly now :). Hahaha, I like to hook friends up with nice anime series too! Do you know Fruits Basket? That's a REALLY good anime. That aside, you're really good in grasping the story in advance :P, hope there aren't too many spoilers hehehe.

**sessywuver:** Thanks! To be honest with you, I don't know many Kag-Ban stories. Most of the stories involving Bankotsu also involves Jakotsu being his close friend (emphasizing the 'close' word here). That's one of the reasons why I chose to write about this pairing :)! Hope you like it so far!

**Yukisora: **Hey don't worry about it! Glad you're still interested in this story :) and that you're still reviewing!

**Skitzoflame:**Yup! There'll be more!

**eMeLyNoOoPeE:** Hahaha, well now you know right? Glad you like it so far and thanks for reviewing! And yup, you got that right about Bankotsu never knowing how Kagome looked like, pretty sad huh?

**ally-wolf-goddess: **Thank you! I have to agree with you about that, but nothing good will come from this story if I rush it :)!

**Wake-Robin: **Yeah, it's sad...but don't worry about it, trust me okay? Thanks for reviewing!

**FanFic-Faerie-Rikku91:** Thank you very much! Sorry for the late update!

**sakurakitsune14: **Thank you! Hope you liked this chapter as well! My test went well by the way :), now it'll be just waiting for the results!

**Meimizu: **Thanks a lot! I'm happy to hear that! Of course I don't want to upset readers! That's why I usually update each 10 days (sometimes less). Hope that's acceptable :)!

**Duzzie:** Yup and I will keep updating! Thanks for reviewing!

**Inukamisashi:** UDS? What's that? But anyway, thanks so much for reviewing!

**Sirayme:** The test was okay! Thanks for asking :)! I'm honored that you think that way, I really do!

**darkenedmoonlightflame:** Thank you! I'll try to update as soon as possible! As for more Ban/Kag stories, I'll think about it :)!

Posted: 8 March 2005  
Last Edited: 8 March 2005  
Spelling check: YES

**DISCLAIMER: **I do not own Inuyasha or any characters of it. And I do not own whatever elements of this story that seem familiar and had already been used by other creative individuals before. But... I do own the idea of mixing all of these elements together into a new story!


	12. Chapter XI

**A TALE FROM THE PAST**

by Kittymui

**CHAPTER XI**

"Hijin Kessou!"

Shortly after the cry, a certain tree in the forest experienced a tremor, forcing some birds to retreat from their resting spots into the clear sky. After quietness returned, the airborne creatures settled themselves on a branch nearby and looked down at the cause of the disturbance. From their kin they had already heard about two silver-haired dog demons, who had been harassing the peaceful forest for the past couple of days. And they there were, standing next to each other, not very far from the base of the tree. Both of them were looking at the five parallel gashes that had sliced the hard brown bark.

"How was that one?" the younger one asked with a grin. He retracted his clawed hand and wiped off the remaining blood on his long red sleeve.

"Weak," stated the person beside him plainly.

His brother's criticism sent knives through his sensitive dog-ears and made the grin on his face turn into a scowl. "W-what? But I gave it my best shot!" he argued disbelievingly.

The tall dog demon gave him a lopsided look. "It was weak," he repeated coldly.

"I know that! Geez, you don't have to repeat that Sesshoumaru!" he snapped, but slightly recoiled when his brother turned to him fully with an extremely annoyed look on his face.

"No you don't understand," he said with a low voice. "It seems that your arrogance had risen to your head, as you are not addressing your older brother in a proper manner."

"I've had enough of this!" he pouted. "You've been telling me what to do ever since I won!"

Sesshoumaru slightly furrowed his thin brows. "Hmp, maybe I shouldn't have taught you. You're a disgrace to my claw attack."

This made Inuyasha's blood boil in anger. "Oh yeah? You're all talk and no actions. Why don't you demonstrate your so-called powerful attack then!" he spat with provocation.

"I find no need in doing so," was the demon's reply.

Inuyasha crossed his arms. "Heh! You just don't want to admit that I've actually mastered it in such a short time!" he concluded flat-out. "Let's see...if you do it, I will start properly addressing you from now on."

Sesshoumaru widened his eyes. "Insolence!"

Of course, he knew he was being more than rude and disrespectful, but if he could make him show the claw attack's true power, it was worth it. It took him two years to realize that he had mastered previous claw attack since the dog demon granted him no more than a 'hmp' as a compliment. This time, he wouldn't allow it to happen anymore. Without a clear demonstration, there was no way he could master this one.

He quickly took a step backwards when the dog demon suddenly raised his clawed hand. But he realized it wasn't meant to teach him some manners when he rolled up the long white sleeve and dug his sharp nails into his bare skin.

Without showing any emotions on his face, Sesshoumaru turned to the previous tree and raised his bloody claw. "Hijin Kessou!" he spoke with a loud and clear voice and slashed in the air.

Inuyasha watched in awe how several huge red blades were sent towards the thick trunk and raised an arm to shield his eyes from the dense dust cloud that followed the loud blast.

BWWAAAAMM

When he lowered his arm, he couldn't believe what he saw. The entire tree was ripped apart, leaving only a small part of its root in the earth.

He turned to look at Sesshoumaru, only to find him casually lowering his arm to his side. Without a word, the silver-haired demon turned to leave.

The hanyou eyed the increasing distance between them. _'Oh well...a promise is a promise...'_ he reminded himself and followed. "Aniue!" he called, which made the dog demon halt his step, giving him a chance to run to his front.

"What is it?" Sesshoumaru's face showed no emotions as he spoke, but Inuyasha swore he saw something different in his gold-amber eyes. "If I master it...will you persuade father and mother to summon back aneue?"

A flash of hurt in his brother's eyes didn't go unnoticed but that didn't hold him back. "I mean...you want me to master it, don't you? You promised to teach me Hijin Kessou because you wanted to motivate me. You knew I couldn't possibly forget about aneue, so you set up the harsh condition, forcing me to do my best, am I right? And while you were teaching me, you have become stronger yourself as well, haven't you?"

"It was for the sake of our territory," Sesshoumaru responded.

"But it wasn't the only reason, was it?" he questioned, noticing the wavering in his voice. "You chose to become stronger so you can guarantee aneue's safety, so she could return, right?"

His countless assumptions were answered with an uninterested grunt. "You're annoying me."

Inuyasha narrowed his eyes. "Aneue must be very disappointed if she knew you had rebuild your stupid wall of pride that she had tried so hard to break down." His comment definitely made something snap as he saw the slight twitch of the pointy ears, but he was dumbfounded when Sesshoumaru began to walk away. Out of anger, he pulled at his fire rat's robe, revealing his bare chest and dug his sharp nails into it until he drew blood. _'You will admit it!' _he thought determinedly. "HIJIN KESSOU!"he cried and sent large red blades flying randomly towards the trees in front of the dog demon.

GRRRRRRRROOOOMMM

Large pieces of lumber and branches crumbled onto the grass with heavy thumps and Inuyasha realized with widened eyes that he had torn a row of trees from their roots. _'I..I-I did it...'_ he gasped inwardly. Suddenly, he felt very weak in his legs and fell down to his knees on the floor. "Urg..." he groaned, as if his strength was being sucked out of his small body.

The dust settled down after a short while and revealed the graceful backside of Sesshoumaru, who had stopped walking.

"Feh! Walk away if you want!" he scoffed between heavy pants. But to his surprise, the dog demon started walking his direction instead of away.

He stopped before him and finally broke the silence between them. "Do you really want to see your sister?" he asked as he reached out a clawed hand.

"Don't you?" he returned the question and took his hand to stand up.

The two brothers fell silent again, as if they were trying to find a meaning behind the rustling of the leaves. "Tomorrow," Sesshoumaru finally spoke. "Tomorrow, I'll speak to father and mother."

"I'll go with you!" the hanyou decided.

"Do as you wish," he said coolly and turned to leave.

Inuyasha adjusted his pace until they were walking side by side. "But...what if they refuse?"

"Then give up."

The hanyou scowled and fastened his steps to block his brother's way. "I'm not going to give up!" he snapped.

The dog demon suddenly put up an amused smirk.

"What's so funny?" he asked in puzzlement.

"You remind me of her," Sesshoumaru replied with a softened expression.

"Aneue?"

He nodded. "She, too, never gave up that easily," he told him and softly patted his head between his canine ears. "You have grown, Inuyasha."

Inuyasha smirked. "Of course! I'll be turning 10 soon!"

Both of them began to walk again. "Ne...aniue?"

"What is it?"

"Do you think aneue still remembers my birthday?" he asked.

"She couldn't possibly have forgotten," Sesshoumaru reassured him.

"...the day she left."

.-.-.-.-.

_'Time really flows like a river...'_ she thought to herself as she moved a piece of charcoal over the paper surface of her journal. _'I'm so sorry for not writing to you for such a long while...so much have happened since the last entry...' _

Yes, a lot of happened. First, she found a young man in the creek, who was having a near-dead experience. Though he had now completely recovered from the severe wounds and gashes, there was nothing they could do about his eyes. Fortunately, Sango had some knowledge about poisons and made an antidote for snake venom, which protected the man's eyes from further danger, so there's a chance that he might be able to see again someday. Not long after he woke up, she found out that this man named Bankotsu was actually an assassin. She knew Sango wouldn't let him stay any longer if she heard about his profession, that's why she decided to keep it to herself. She didn't deny that it could be dangerous to keep him here, but she couldn't bear to send away a man who was barely able to defend himself, so she was determined to let him stay.

Kagome smiled to herself as she wrote. _'By the way, I haven't forgotten about your birthday. If only I could celebrate it together with you...but I guess it can't be helped, can it? How is Sesshoumaru onii-sama doing? You've probably already noticed his proud character, haven't you? He's probably trying very hard to forget about me, isn't he?' _She exhaled a small sigh before continuing. _'To be honest with you, I don't want to be forgotten, but I don't blame him if he chooses to. Memories are the roots of sadness and sorrow, so being able to forget is a good thing...'_

"What are you doing?"

Kagome stopped writing and turned to look over her shoulder. "Oh, you're already awake. Have you slept well?"

"Yeah," he yawned as he sat up.

"Wait, I'll bring you something to wash your face with," she said and quickly stood up after she put down her writing tools.

"What were you writing?" he asked when she returned to his side with a bucket of water and a clean towel.

Kagome was surprised and cast a glance at the pile of papers, bound together like a book, which she had put down on the low table. "Eh? How did you know? "

"The scent of charcoal isn't really that difficult to recognize and it didn't sound like you were drawing," he explained with a small smile.

"I was writing my journal," she told him, while removing the cloth around his head.

"Really?" he said surprised. "I like to keep journals too."

"You do? That's a coincidence," Kagome smiled and examined his lowered eyelids while placing the wet towel in his hand. "Your eyes look a lot better today! I think it's safe for you to open them now."

Bankotsu cleaned his face and handed back the towel. "I'll try," he replied and slowly lifted his eyelids.

Kagome's jaw dropped a little as she looked at his face. They were a bit hazy, but unmistakably blue-gray of color. She didn't notice it before, but now that he had fully opened his eyes, he was actually quite good-looking. With his long black hair and his forehead's cross-shaped mark accompanying his depthless eyes, she had to admit that he could almost match up with Sesshoumaru's beauty. While the dog demon possessed a kind of gracefulness that no other demon or human being could outmatch, this young man possessed an unique kind of handsomeness mixed with arrogance and gentleness.

"Kagome?"

His voice made her snap out of it. "I-I'm sorry...it's your eyes..." she stammered, realizing that she had been staring at them for the past couple of minutes.

"What? Is something wrong with them?" he asked with a slight panic in his voice.

"No no...they're fine!" Kagome reassured him. "It's just that they're really nice...I've never seen eyes with such color before..."

"T-thank you," he blushed slightly. "I recall they were blue-gray if I'm not mistaking."

"They are," she told him. And within seconds she found herself staring again. His white traditional outfit was really making his eyes stand out.

.-.

Bankotsu could practically feel her eyes on him and dropped his gaze out of embarrassment. "S-so...do you like keeping journals?"

"You may find it strange, but I'm keeping this journal in the hope that someone will read it someday," she said. "So it's not really about liking it or not."

If it was someone else, it might have been strange to hear that a journal was kept for someone else to read, but to Bankotsu, it wasn't something unusual. "To be honest with you, I keep my journals for that reason too."

"You do?" She sounded surprised.

"As an assassin, I'm wary of the dangers that lurk in the missions we accept," he explained. "That's why I write things down, so people would know about our accomplishments even when we're sent to the lowest level of the underworld."

"That's pretty sad..." said Kagome.

"Well, you can look at it from a brighter side," he smiled. "When I have finally grown tired of killing people. I'll be able to read back what I've done in the past..."

_'...and regret about it for the remaining years of my life...'_ he added in his mind. "Hmm...never mind," he broke off and turned to her. "How about you? I presume you aren't writing your journal for the rest of the world, are you?"

There was a hush before a reply was given. "You remember when I told you that my parents were killed and that my sister and I fled to this place?"

He nodded.

"The truth is, I also had a little brother when we left our home. But we abandoned him in front of a large mansion we came across on our way." Kagome took a deep breath. "I know it was cruel of us, but there was no way we could raise him by ourselves."

"He probably doesn't even remember that he had any siblings, let alone knowing who I am," she admitted. "I know the chance is very small, but even so, I want to believe that he would find this journal someday and that he would remember this sister of his after reading it. That's why I've kept a journal ever since I was able to write. I want him to know what kind of life I led and all the things I had experienced in the time that we were apart."

"Maybe my sister was able to cast aside her personal feelings and forget about our little brother, but I can't," she finished.

Bankotsu suddenly felt a huge lump stuck in his throat. Something inside him told him that he was making her remember something awful and he opened his mouth to apologize.

"Don't feel sorry for asking," she cut him off. "It's not like I'm planning to forget."

"You're not? But they're bad memories, right?" he said surprised.

"No matter how sad and painful, they're too precious for me to abandon," she explained. "These memories are probably going to be the only ones of my parents and little brother, that's why I will hold on to them forever."

"That's a very beautiful way of thinking," he complimented her with a warm smile. _'She's so strong...to be able to think that way...'_ he thought to himself.

"Thank you."

Just when he felt another awkward silence coming up, Kagome got up to her feet. "You must be hungry, right? I'm going to prepare something to eat."

.-.-.

"You sure you don't need any help?"

Kagome picked up the empty platters and walked towards the sink. "Thanks, but I can handle it myself," she politely declined. She scooped large portions of water into the sink and began to wash the dishes.

As she scrubbed the dirty spots, she suddenly caught a content sigh coming from behind her. "I hope the meal was agreeable," she said through the sound of splashing waters.

"It's more than agreeable! I've never had something this good before," he laughed.

"I'm happy to hear that," she smiled.

After she finished drying, she turned around, only to realize that Bankotsu had settled down near his huge halberd, of which the edges were wrapped in thick pieces of cloths. He was running his hand over the fabric with his eyes looking straight ahead. "Your older sister...Sango right?"

"Yeah, what about her?" she responded as she sat down next to him with her legs folded beneath her.

"What does she do?" he asked curiously. "I mean...she's hardly by your side during the day."

"That's because she's the one earning our living," she explained. "She exterminates demons for villages and towns for money."

"Hmm...your words are telling me that she's pretty strong."

"She is," she agreed. "She's been doing that for as long as I can remember."

"And you? You must be quite strong yourself, having a youkai taijiya as an older sister."

Kagome fell silent for a moment. "I'm not that strong compared to my sister. Sango's much older and wiser than me and she's more experienced with everything than me," she confessed. "I am always the one needing protection."

"You don't have to degrade yourself like that," he comforted her. "I'm sure you have your own strengths as well."

"I guess..." she mumbled softly. _'Strengths...huh?' _she thought as she remembered how people used to address her besides 'the princess of the Western Lands'...

...the pillar of peace.

It was an honorable title, there was no way she could deny that, but to keep it she had sacrificed a lot. It took away her family and happiness and gave her nothing but fear in return, fear for her life, because she was the creator as well as the destroyer of the barrier. With her strength, she had brought peace to these lands, but in return, she was bestowed with a heavy burden and a lifelong irony. There were people who wanted her to live, and there were those who wanted her dead. She was simultaneously being loved and hated. She didn't want it but she wouldn't want another one to be burdened with it.

.-.

_'Is she...'_ Bankotsu wondered until a soft tap caught his ears. _'Great! Nice job Bankotsu...first you kept making her remember her past and now you made her cry...'_ he mentally smacked himself.

He hated to see women cry, not that he could see her right now. Instinctively, he lifted his hand and searched for her face. "Please forgive me, I didn't mean to make you cry..." he said as he found her cheek and started wiping the tears with the ends of his white sleeve.

"And I thought my tears had dried long ago..." she chuckled awkwardly. "I must look horrible right now..."

"You don't have to worry about that since I can't see your face right now," he reasoned as he lowered his arm.

"I'm...sorry..."

"Hey, we've been through that already remember? You don't have to feel guilty about it," he reminded her. "Besides, the poison won't be able to destroy my vision permanently thanks to your sister's medicine, so it's only temporary that I have to rely on my other senses."

"I guess you're right..." she gave in.

"Right, now I'm getting curious about your looks," Bankotsu commented. "Do you think you can describe how you look like?"

"Well, there's nothing special about me. I have a pair of eyes, two ears, a nose and a mouth. What else do you want to know?" she replied dully.

Bankotsu furrowed his brows, as it was definitely not the answer he wanted to hear. "Very funny," he said with a hint of sarcasm.

She sighed in defeat. "All right...I have chestnut-colored eyes and long black hair, which is always hanging loosely behind my back since I don't like to tie it up. I'm slightly shorter than you and I'm usually dressed in traditional clothes when I don't have to go outside. And if I do go outside, I wear a dark-blue robe on top. Is that a qualified answer?"

"Any wrinkles?" he joked.

"What the...! I'm only nineteen!" she exclaimed.

"Aha! So you're nineteen!" Bankotsu grinned. "Sorry about that, it's just that women tend to hide their real age in front of men so I had to think of something to make you speak truth."

Kagome let out a small grunt. "And how old might you be?"

"I'll be turning twenty-four this winter," he replied.

"Twenty-four!" she gasped confounded. "I thought you were younger!"

"Hahaha, I guess you're not good at judging people's ages by their looks," he laughed aloud. "Too bad I can't see your face right now. I bet I could have guessed your age in one try!"

.-.

Kagome smiled. She didn't understood how he was able to cheer her up like that, but it felt good nevertheless.

"Good, you're smiling again," he said relieved.

"Huh? How did you know that!" she cried with wide eyes and waved her hand before his eyes.

She was shocked when he suddenly grasped her hand with excellent accuracy.

"I'm not lying," he told her. "I really can't see."

Kagome tried to shake off his grasp. "You're not really convincing at the moment, did you know that?"

"How can I possibly miss your hand when you're creating so much draft by waving," he argued. "And I figured out your change of mood from the tone of your voice and the pace of your breathing. Do you believe me now?"

Instead of answering his question, Kagome gazed down at his warm hand, which was tightly wrapped around hers. She parted her lips to reply but found herself unable to produce audible words. There was just too much distraction.

.-.

_'Her hand...its cold...'_ Bankotsu noticed the large difference between their body temperatures and slowly let go of Kagome's hand. "Are you cold?" he asked worriedly. "If so, you should wear a bit more clothes."

"Y-yeah...I'll do that," she replied and got to her feet.

"By the way, if your sister only returns at dinner time, doesn't that leave you unprotected in the meantime?" he asked, filling up the silence as Kagome searched for an appropriate attire.

That moment, the fire cat, which had been sleeping in the corner of the room, squealed to proclaim her existence. She ran towards Kagome's side, who had put on a simple brown mantle that reached her knees.

"Remember Kirara? When Sango's away, she's responsible for my safety," Kagome said as she knelt down and stroked her milky fur. She picked up the small demon and knelt down next to Bankotsu. "Here," she placed her on his lap. "This is Kirara. Kirara, meet Bankotsu."

She had to suppress a giggle when Bankotsu slightly flinched of the sudden weight placed on his lap.

"This tiny creature was able to drag Banryuu out of the creek?" he cried dumbfounded, which instantly earned a displeased growl from the fire cat.

Kagome raised a brow at the unfamiliar name. "Banryuu?"

"That's the name of my halberd," Bankotsu clarified while gently patting Kirara's head as a gesture of apology. "But how is she capable of protecting you? She's so small!"

Kagome laughed. How he reacted now reminded her of how her own reaction when Sango first told her about Kirara's abilities. "Don't be fooled by her size at the moment. When she transforms, she'll even be able to fly up to the sky with both you and me on her back."

"That's pretty handy," he said as he continued to pat the fire cat.

In the quietness that followed, Kagome had her eyes fixed on Bankotsu's other hand, which was resting on his halberd.

"Bankotsu?"

"Hm?"

"Do you...intend to continue being an assassin after you've recovered?"

The question made Bankotsu speechless and reminded him of his two companions, who were still being held hostage at Naraku's lair. He painfully realized that he didn't really have a choice and averted his gaze. "Yes," he finally replied.

"I see." Kagome shook off the disappointment that began to fill her heart. _'It's not like he'll quit being a killer just because of me. I don't even have the right to stop him, and moreover...why should I care? I'm not even his wife or whatsoever.' _She immediately interrupted her mental monologue before it unlocked more of those ridiculous ranting. Unconsciously, her eyes drifted back to Bankotsu. _'Does he even have one...?'_ she wondered, and before she knew it, her voice was already giving away her thoughts. "Your wife must be very lonely," she mumbled, almost instantly realizing what she just said. _'Baka! Baka! Baka!'_ she smacked herself repeatedly in her mind as blood rushed up to her cheeks.

She felt even more uncomfortable when Bankotsu responded with an amused laughter. "I'm not married Kagome," he told her.

Kagome widened her eyes in surprise. "You serious? I mean...don't you feel lonely sometimes? Or are you planning never to bind yourself to someone because you're an assassin?" she asked with an unbroken sentence. _'Why am I asking all this? It's really none of my business.'_ she mentally scolded herself. _'Although it would be a shame if someone like him decides to stay unmarried for the rest of his life...'_

"You're quite nosy, did you know that?" Bankotsu smiled. "But the fact that I'm not married right now, doesn't mean I'm never going to get married."

Kagome whined inwardly, realizing that she could have spared herself a lot of embarrassment, had she given him more time to explain.

"Even a merciless assassin like me wants to settle down someday with a very special woman whom I shall love with all my heart," he continued. "I just haven't found her yet."

Kagome blushed. It was the first time she heard a man saying that, not to mention that it sounded so sincere and promising.

"And you?" he suddenly asked, cutting off her thoughts. "You don't intend to stay here and live with your sister for the rest of your life, do you?"

"Of course not," she said. "But like you said, I haven't found that special someone either."

Kagome had deliberately told him a lie to shorten a long story about how she wanted her future life to be. Truth is, she had no control over it at all. Before anything, she had to make sure she survived all the attempts aimed to take her life. And then she must find a way to return to the fortress safely before even thinking about marriage, since she would never marry without her brother or her parents' blessings.

Not wanting to give him another chance to ask any more of these questions, she quickly stood up. "I've really chatted long enough. If I don't start doing some housekeeping, I won't have enough time to prepare dinner before Sango's comes back."

"Don't let me be in your way," Bankotsu smiled and scratched Kirara below her chin. "I'll just amuse myself with this little fluff here."

The afternoon went by calmly. By dusk, Sango returned and the three of them had a fairly quiet dinner with the delicious broth Kagome made.

.-. that night -.-

"Get up..."

Bankotsu, who was sitting on the floor against one of the wall, slowly opened his eyes. Was someone talking to him?

"I know you're still awake, now get up," the same voice hissed.

He realized it was Sango's voice and silently pushed aside his blanket.

"I'll wait for you outside," the woman said impatiently and walked away from him.

_'What's going on...?'_ Bankotsu thought puzzled and got to his feet. He caught a calm breathing coming from the other end of the room and figured out it was Kagome. _'She wants to speak to me alone huh?'_ he concluded inwardly. With one hand trailing alongside the wall, he carefully made his way towards the door opening and stepped out of the house.

As soon as he closed the door behind him, her voice called to him from a distance. "Over here."

"What is it?" he asked as he finally stopped before her. A gentle breeze caressed his cheeks as it blew pass him, carrying the scent of blooming flowers with it.

The taijiya took her time before speaking her thoughts. "I just want you to know that you're only staying here because Kagome wants you to," she declared openly. "Had it not been for your vulnerable condition, I would have sent you away the day you woke up from your coma."

Bankotsu slightly scowled at her honest yet harsh words. "So...you called me out here just to say that?" he said with a clear irritation in his voice.

"I don't know how you got yourself injured like that, and honestly I don't really care," she continued coldly. "But what I _do_ know is that _you_ are putting our peaceful lives in danger by just staying here. You really shouldn't have appeared in the first place."

He nonchalantly pulled a strand of his long hair from his face and tossed it over his shoulder. "Isn't it a bit late to realize that?"

His remark obviously aggravated the taijiya as he heard her throw out small grunt. "I know what you are and what you do Bankotsu," she snarled. "Assassins are all the same to me, they're nothing but enemies and you...make no exception."

Bankotsu was slightly offended by how she boldly lumped him together with the low-class assassins, but he decided to let it slide. For someone whose parents were brutally murdered, it seemed natural for her to prejudge him like that.

"But since Kagome is so determined to let you stay, I'll just have to cope with it, don't I?" she added scornfully. "However, I suggest you stay inside the house as much as possible, since revealing yourself would only draw your enemies to this place."

After saying that, she started walking into the direction of the house, but paused in her steps when their shoulders formed a straight line. "Mark my words Bankotsu, if anything should happen to Kagome, I will kill you with my own bare hands."

While the sound of her footsteps drowned in the nocturnal noises, Bankotsu just stood there, submerging into a sea of thoughts.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**:  
Hey everyone! I was in a very good mood so this time, I decided post a nice long chapter for a change. Why? Because I got a 9.3 for the test I made last week (from a scale of 1 to 10)! Enjoy reading this new chapter! 

Greets,

Kittymui

.-.-.

_'Italic'_: thoughts  
"...": spoken words  
-.-.-.-: time gap  
-CAPSLOCKED WORDS-: noises

.-.-.

**Next chapter: Chapter XII**

.-.

What will Bankotsu do now? Will he leave in spite of his blindness? Or is he mature enough to suppress his anger and stay? Please look forward to the next chapter!

.-.

**Vocabulary:**

**ne: **in this context, this word used to draw someone's attention.  
**hanyou: **half-demon  
**aneue: **royal/honorable older sister (an old respectful way to address your older sister)  
**aniue: **royal/honorable older brother (an old respectful way to address your older brother)  
**Hijin Kessou: **Flying Claws of Blood, a claw attack used by Inuyasha. (Actually it wasn't clear in the series who had taught him this attack but I chose Sesshoumaru in this story.)  
**hanyou: **half-demon  
**onii-sama: **a very respectful way to refer to your older brother  
**youkai: **demon  
**taijiya: **exterminator  
**baka: **stupid

.-.-.

**REPLIES ON REVIEWS:**

**sessywuver: **Thanks!

**Angel of Darkness and Death: **I'm happy to hear that :)! Thanks for reviewing!

**eMeLyNoOoPeE: **Yeah, it is indeed very sad, but even so, you would still be following this story to its end right? This whole story is mainly about this extraordinary tale from the past, so I really hope readers would enjoy reading this part :).

**darkenedmoonlightflame: **Hey don't worry about that. I won't abandon a story before finishing it. By the way, Bankotsu is still blind so he can't see how Kagome looks like, but he'll be able to see again :) someday when the time comes, hehehe.

**toxiclollipop: **Thanks, I'm glad you liked it!

**xxprincess-sakuraxx: **Sorry for the lateness of this update, but I made it longer than unusual so it should compensate each other right:)

**ally-wolf-goddess: **Thank you! I'll try to update as soon as possible!

**Mizumei: **Thanks! Like Kagome said a couple of chapters ago, the antidote she applied on his eyes doesn't help him restore his eyesight, it only prevents the poison from making him permanently blind. So Bankotsu won't be able to see for a while. Hope that wasn't too disappointing :).

**Skitzoflame: **Yup, he sure is :)

**Skye: **I'm doing my best! Thank you very much for telling me that, it's very encouraging :). As for your question, do you really want to know? It would spoil the suspence, wouldn't it?

**Inukamisashi: **Hahaha, that makes perfect sense! Yeah, the best parts are yet to come :)!

**sakurakitsune14: **Yup, I totally agree with you. That's why I'm wondering if I should make my next story of this pairing as well hehehe.

**Fluffy'sbabe: **I'm very sorry, I must have missed your review. Shame on me...but nevertheless, thanks for reviewing!

**Wake-Robin: **Thank you! I'm glad you liked that chapter!

**Duzzie:** Thank you for reviewing :). I can't wait for your reaction, when I finally make them reunite -grins-.

**shadows-insanity:** Oh I hope I'm not taking too long to update, but it is a long chappie so you'll forgive me right? -puppy eyes- I got the third movie from the internet, there are places where you can download them.

**BelleDayNight:** Nice long review :), thanks a lot! Hahaha, it sure is depressing, but I hope that won't prevent you from reading the tale from the past :). I enjoyed writing the part between Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha, so I'm definitely happy to hear that you liked reading it!

**FanFic-Faerie-Rikku91:** Haha, since the series showed nothing but dispute between the siblings, I decided to change that :). Thanks for reviewing!

**sesshomaruobsessed:** Thanks! I'm glad you're loving it! As for your question, I don't think anyone will be able to fall in love with someone he or she only read about in a book. Since Bankotsu doesn't have any memories of his past life, it will take some time to develop the same feelings again right? Actually, nobody of the present time knows about his or her past life, so Sesshoumaru is only cold because of his nature and because he worries about his sister in coma.

**downcast aquarius: **Don't worry about that, I don't expect readers to review every single story or chapter I wrote :). But you made me very happy by letting me know that you liked my previous stories and that you're following this one, thank you very much!

Posted: 18 March 2005  
Last Edited: 18 March 2005  
Spelling check: YES

**DISCLAIMER: **I do not own Inuyasha or any characters of it. And I do not own whatever elements of this story that seem familiar and had already been used by other creative individuals before. But... I do own the idea of mixing all of these elements together into a new story!


	13. Chapter XII

**A TALE FROM THE PAST**

by Kittymui

**CHAPTER XII**

Like the usual routine, Sango got up earlier than the rest and left for her outdoor duties before the sun fully appeared from behind the horizon. Shortly after that, Kagome woke up as well. Today, she decided to wear a plain light-blue yukata with white flowers embroidered on her left shoulder and near her legs.

By the time she finished doing some morning chores, the day had already passed high noon. _'Pfew...time really flies when you're busy...'_ Kagome thought as she pulled out the rough knot on the back of her head, allowing her black hair to spill over her shoulders. She gathered her writing tools and sat down against the wall next to the window. After flipping some pages, she reached the page where she had stopped last time.

_How was the celebration of your birthday? I'm sure it was fun since the sun was shining all day long. It looks like we'll get some rain today; there are a lot of clouds hanging in the sky. I guess some water will do well to the forest now and then. Today is like any other day, but I noticed something strange going on lately..._

There was indeed something bothering the princess and as she spilled her thoughts with the black charcoal on the paper surface, she stole a glance at the man sleeping in the back.

Although he seemed to be sleeping peacefully, his hands showed the restlessness he had been experiencing during the night, as they were tightly grasping the brown covers on top of him. The darkness below his closed eyes, which had only been made clearer by the white clothing he was wearing, was a clear indication of his lack of sleep.

At first she thought it was the incident with the snakes that haunted him, but she rejected the possibility since he hadn't had trouble with sleeping since a couple of days ago.

Somehow, she felt it was related to the strange atmosphere that had recently been hanging in the air between Bankotsu and Sango. The two never had been best friends, but since a few days, they started to completely ignore each other like they had never existed to one another. There was definitely a reason behind the sudden change, but Kagome had yet to figure out what it was.

There was actually little chance that something had happened beyond her knowledge since she was always there. _'Unless it happened while I was asleep...'_ she hypothesized in her mind. But why? Was there a need to discuss things in her absence? Is there something she shouldn't know about?

Kagome turned aside to look through the window to the sky. The sun was playing hide-and-seek today. Now and then, it would appear from its hiding spot behind the gray clouds and temporarily greet the forest with its warm rays.

Two days ago, the mystery only thickened with the Bankotsu's sudden decision to train outdoors in the afternoon. Needless to say, she refused and tried to stop him, but it was no use. Despite her warnings, he still insisted on training as soon as lunch ended. Of course, she had no other choice but to lead him to the training area, which, after some consideration, she chose to be the same clearing where she had found him. Though the path wasn't hard to remember, she was surprised when he told her that he didn't need help to go back to the house. Even more surprised was she when he suddenly asked her to stay with him and watch him train, but eventually, she declined, saying that there were too many things she had to do.

Inside, she had to admit that she wanted to keep him company since it was dangerous to leave him alone like that. Yet instead, she told him a lie. She had finished all the chores within an hour as soon as she returned, but even so she didn't go to him. She only hoped that he would return before Sango, since she would have a lot of trouble explaining things if she found out he went outside to train. Much to her relief, he did, but he was worn-out and exhausted and could barely get up after sitting down.

She did ask herself why she didn't want to watch him train. Maybe she was afraid to see the ferocious side of him, the one that made him an assassin. Which was actually quite stupid since he _was_ one and he already told her that he would continue to be one. Why she still wanted to believe that he would quit after he recovers, she didn't know. It wasn't like his sins would lessen if he did.

Her train of thoughts ended when a yawn caught her ears. "There's a towel next to your cushion, you can use it to wash your face," she told him. She knew he would wake up around this time of the day, so she prepared it in advance.

"Oh...thanks..." he said dryly as he got up with a hand running through his long hair.

Kagome put away her journal and stood up. "Now that you're awake, I guess I should prepare lunch."

Bankotsu froze for a moment. "W-what? Lunch? Is it afternoon already?" he asked with a stunned look on his face. "Wow...I must've been very tired..."

"That's what you get for overexerting yourself like that every day," she reasoned as she took out some bread and fruit from a wooden cabinet.

"Hm, you won't hear me complaining about it," he said with a snort. "I'll probably forget how to use Banryuu if I began training later. My muscles have grown stiff of sitting all the time." As he said that, he made some circular movements with his shoulders and arms to warm up his body.

Kagome placed two platters with bread and fruit in pieces on the low table. "Are you planning to train today as well?" she asked with a hint of worry in her voice.

"Of course!" he responded enthusiastically as he settled down next to the table.

She shoved his platter to below his face. "But it's dangerous...being able to walk to the clearing and back without tripping doesn't mean you can defend yourself when you're in trouble," she reminded him.

"That's why I'm training," he argued. "Don't worry, I returned in one piece yesterday did I not?"

"Yeah, but still..." Kagome dropped her face and startled nibbling on a piece of fruit.

"Aw, how sweet. I didn't know you were that concerned about me," Bankotsu laughed.

She nearly choked on the fruit and coughed with a deep blush. "I-I'm not!" she stammered. "I mean...it's only natural for me to worry..."

Bankotsu threw the last bit of bread in his mouth and swallowed it after some chewing. His smile had dropped quicker than usual. "Well, if you're _that_ worried, why don't you just come along?"

Kagome hesitated. "As much as I want to, there are still a bunch of other things I have to do first."

"Aren't you finished doing them? You've been giving me that reason ever since I first asked you," he scoffed.

"Unlike you, I've got little time to do a lot," she huffed. "Besides, I can't leave the house unguarded."

"Why don't you let Kirara guard it?"

"Wherever I go, Kirara comes with me," she told him. "She's responsible for my safety."

"But I can protect you," he suddenly stated.

Kagome raised her brows in surprise but returned to a normal expression as she looked into his hazy, unfocused eyes. "You can barely defend yourself, let alone protecting me."

Bankotsu scowled. "You really don't trust my other senses, do you?"

"Honestly, I don't," she replied flatly, trying to suppress his overconfidence. "If you ask me, I rather not have you going outside with that creepy over-sized weapon of yours."

The assassin's eyes flashed in annoyance. "Heh, at least I can wield something to defend myself instead of relying on other people," he retorted. "Unlike _you_, I'm not used to making my well-being other people's responsibility."

Kagome widened her eyes in shock. "H-how dare you...!" she gasped. In disbelief, she watched how the black-haired man stood up and trailed along the wall towards his halberd, which was leaning against one of the walls.

"I'll be back before dinner," he said dully and exited the house, leaving a dumbfounded Kagome behind.

.-.-.-.

_'Coward...'_ a voice in his head scolded him.

Right after he had made his last remark, he had realized how cruel he was to say such things. But he didn't know how to cope with a troubled situation like that, so he decided to leave.

_'You just don't want to admit your weakness.'_

_'Shut up!'_ he snapped at his conscience as he carefully followed the path to his training spot. _'I'm not weak! And I'm going to prove it!'_

With his halberd placed on his right shoulder, he proceeded into the forest.

.-. later .-.

Back to the house, Kagome was sitting on the floor with a small wooden box lying next to her folded legs. The lid of the box was opened and in it lied a couple of needles and threads of all kinds of colors. A pink yukata laid on her lap, which was slightly torn at one sleeve and her objective was to mend the imperfection with a pink thread. But unlike any other times, Kagome was more focused on her thoughts than on the mending.

Although she seemed calm on the outside, she was actually in turmoil on the inside. Just when she thought she had found someone to entrust her inner feelings to, that same person suddenly used these feelings against her. Her hands tensed for a moment as she replayed his words in her mind.

_"Heh, at least I can wield something to defend myself instead of relying on other people."_

_"Unlike you, I'm not used to making my well-being other people's responsibility."_

Kagome scoffed. "As if I had a choice..." she muttered, thinking about how she ended up living here. "If I could choose, I would never..." Her voice faltered as she realized how irresponsible she actually sounded. Suddenly she felt very uncomfortable and shifted to sit on the floor instead of her legs.

A soft rattling sound from her chest caught her attention and she lowered her gaze. _'No...I'm not going to regret it...'_ she thought determinedly, looking at the three ivory fangs dangling below her chin. If she were given another destiny, she would never have met Sesshoumaru and the rest. It was a path she had chosen to walk on and so, she will accept all consequences that went along with widespread arms.

But she was weak and had it not been for Bankotsu, she'd probably still be denying that. _'I have to become stronger then...'_ she thought to herself. _'If I do that, I will stop being a burden to everyone else.'_

_'I wonder if Sango will teach me?'_ she mused while pushing the needle head neatly through the smooth fabric. The thought reminded her of the strange mood between the taijiya and the assassin and she let out a deep sigh. _'If only they would tell me what's going on...'_

Just when she was about to retrieve the needle from the other side of the sleeve, a loud thunderclap caught her off guard and made her cringe of shock. "Ite!" she winced and held up her hand. A small ball of red liquid started to grow on her throbbing forefinger and she quickly placed it in her mouth.

As the taste of blood filled her mouth, she turned to look outside through the small window. The sky was now heavy clouded and dark-gray of color. Small drops of rain began to fall out of the sky and within minutes, a thick curtain of rain shielded the landscape. The infrequent tapping on the roof transformed into an busy orchestra, accompanied by occasional cracks of thunder.

Even the brave Kirara, who was sleeping soundly in the corner, had woken up and walked to Kagome's side for comfort.

Kagome petted the fire cat as she put up a worried expression. "Bankotsu didn't wear proper clothes before he left..."she said softly to herself. Even if it's mid-spring, an overwhelming downpour combined with some cold breezes remained the perfect ingredients for severe colds or fevers.

She quickly put down the things in her hands and made her way towards a small chest on the floor, earning a small and worried 'mew' from the fire cat.

"I know you don't like rain, Kirara, that's why you don't have to come with me this time," she told the demon as she pulled out two thick black hooded cloaks and turned to her. "Don't worry, I'm only going to bring him a cloak so I'll be back before you know it."

With that, she put on one of the cloaks and left.

.-.-.-.

Despite the raging weather, Bankotsu didn't even have the slightest intention of leaving the clearing. Heavy pants escaped him as he stood there in the middle of the open area. His soaked thin garment was clinging onto his skin and together with his rough ponytail, which he made to prevent his long hair from getting in his way, they were starting to add extra weight to his body with the water they absorbed. But he ignored it and pulled some wet strands of hair from his face. He had rested enough.

_'Go back...you'll get sick if you stay out here any longer...'_

"Shut the hell up!" he barked aloud as he tightened his grip around the long hilt of his huge halberd. Without further thoughts, he began to swing the weapon around skillfully.

The truth was, the conversation with the taijiya was still bugging him.

_"...I just want you to know that you're only staying here because Kagome wants you to..."_

_"...Had it not been for your vulnerable condition, I would have sent you away the day you woke up from your coma..."_

_"...what I do know is that you are putting our peaceful lives in danger by just staying here..."_

_"...I suggest you stay inside the house as much as possible, since revealing yourself would only draw your enemies to this place..."_

Like salt on open wounds, these words had been tormenting him for the past couple of days. The word 'vulnerable' haunted him every day and left him restless each night. "Heh! As if I would listen to _you_ and stay inside like a helpless fool!" he spat aloud. Furiously, he swung the halberd repeatedly in a vertical or diagonal direction, as if he was trying to slash apart the taijiya's sentences that were terrorizing his mind.

He made a final swing and let both his arms drop to his side like two boneless limbs. His heart was practically throbbing in his head and he closed his eyes to suppress an upcoming headache.

_"...it's only natural for me to worry..."_

_"...being able to walk to the clearing and back without tripping doesn't mean you can defend yourself when you're in trouble..."_

_"...y__ou can barely defend yourself, let alone protecting me..."_

Bankotsu clenched his fists until the knuckles went white. "Even she thinks I'm vulnerable and weak..."he growled under his breath. He raised Banryuu in the air and raised his face up to the sky. "Why the hell is everybody looking down on me like that!" he yelled frustratingly. "Chikusho!"

The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. "Why don't she trust me! Damn it all!"

Blinded by anger, he gathered all his strength and swung his halberd with all his might at an unknown direction.

A loud and deafening blast could be heard from a distance and he knew he had hit the mountain that stood on the other side of the creek. For a short moment that followed, all he could hear was his own heartbeat and the pouring rain, but in a split second, the quietness was soon disrupted by a heavy tremor and the sound of a crumbling cliff.

Suddenly, a voice pierced through the pandemonium and called out his name.

"Bankotsu!"

He turned to the voice, but as soon as he did that, he was shoved aside by something strong. The next thing he knew he was experiencing a fierce blow to his head, which completely knocked all the unconsciousness out of him.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**:  
Sorry for the late update and for the extremely short chapter. Things are starting to become hectic for me. I've got a scientific paper to write of 4000 words and I have to prepare a plan for my internship. The next chapter will come later than usual and I apologize for that, but I promise it will be good :)! Thanks for reading and please leave a review to tell me what you think. 

Greets,

Kittymui

.-.-

_'Italic'_: thoughts  
"...": spoken words  
-.-.-.-: time gap  
-CAPSLOCKED WORDS-: noises

.-.-

**Next chapter: Chapter XIII**

.-

What had happened? What knocked out Bankotsu? And more importantly, what happened to Kagome? Please look forward to the next chapter, although it will take some time before it's up.

.-

**Vocabulary:**

**taijiya:** exterminator  
**ite:** ouch  
**chikusho:** damn

.-.-

**REPLIES ON REVIEWS:**

Kokoro Mizu no Kaze: I'm trying my best!

Sirayme: Thanks! I'm glad you're enjoying it!

Angel of Darkness and Death: Okay! I'll keep that in mind :). Thanks for loving it!

eMeLyNoOoPeE: Cool to hear that! Thanks!

sessywuver: Thank you! Glad you liked it!

shadows-insanity: Hahaha, no problem...I'll e-mail it to you :).

Skitzoflame: It's not really that hard, since he wields a large weapon like that. He doesn't look like a soldier or guard so hence an assassin :). Plus, he didn't deny it :). Sango's a lot older and smarter than Kagome.

Sora the Taske: Glad you like it!

Skye: Sango's a lot smarter than Kagome, she doesn't have to ask to know what Bankotsu does. It's definitely his halberd :). Thanks for reviewing!

xxprincess-sakuraxx: Hehehe, I guess you hate the suspence of this chapter even more huh? Sorry about that! Thanks a lot for reviewing!

sakurakitsune14: Haha I'm very happy to hear that :). It really encourages me to consider writing a Kag/Ban story after this one!

Wake-Robin: Hehe she sure is, but she's got Sesshoumaru threatening to end her life if Kagome's harmed so it's understandable :).

sesshomaruobsessed: Hahaha, he's oblivious to it! Euhm...as for Bankotsu's past...you as a reader are free to exploit your own imagination to fill it in :).

Inukamisashi: Almost...you're almost completely right :)! Just wait and see!

TamiaEternity: Thanks a lot!

sakurablossomskxk: Haha I won't disappoint you! Just give a tiny bit more time than for the previous chapter!

Fluffy'sbabe: Yup, but don't punish me okay! I've got a very good reason for being late! Please?

Posted: 28 March 2005  
Last Edited: 28 March 2005  
Spelling check: YES

**DISCLAIMER: **I do not own Inuyasha or any characters of it. And I do not own whatever elements of this story that seem familiar and had already been used by other creative individuals before. But... I do own the idea of mixing all of these elements together into a new story!


	14. Chapter XIII

**A TALE FROM THE PAST**

by Kittymui-

**CHAPTER XIII**

Soft rays of light began to fall upon the Western Lands as the rain clouds, carried by the Southern winds, began to take their leave. Countless little raindrops that remained on the grass and leaves refracted the beams of the sun and shimmered like small crystals. As various beings of the forest came out of their hiding places, a distant bird song welcomed the serenity that had returned. The storm seemed to be the proof of the permanent change of temperature and it will probably be the last one until autumn arrives.

Inside the courtyard of a certain fortress stood a fair lady. Her small shoulders gradually moved up as she inhaled the fresh after-rain scent that lingered in the air. While some tresses rested on her shoulders, the rest of her silky black hair hung loosely behind her grand red kimono and billowed in sync with the gentle breezes.

The slight furrowing of her thin brows created a troubled expression on her graceful features as she opened her dark brown eyes. A soft sigh escaped her rosy lips.

"Is something wrong?" a voice startled her.

She turned to look over her shoulder and formed a smile on her lips. "Oh it's you Sesshoumaru." She watched how the tall silver-haired demon walked towards her and waited until he stopped beside her before continuing. "It's nothing...I was just thinking about the dream I had last night..."

"What kind of dream?" he asked.

"I saw Kagome," she replied.

Sesshoumaru's ears twitched a little upon hearing the name, but he waited until she finished her story.

"She was in pain...and there was blood all over her body," she continued with a pained expression. "...and there was nothing I could do but watch."

A moment of silence fell between her and Sesshoumaru until she decided to speak again. "But I'm sure she's doing fine...she's a strong girl...and it's just a dream...right?" she said while turning to him.

"The taijiya will guard her with her life so don't worry too much," he reassured her. _'She had better be...'_ he added inwardly.

"I guess you're right," she said with a small smile. "By the way, is there something you wish to speak to me about?"

The dog demon nodded. "It's about what I had asked you several days ago."

"Oh that..." she recalled and averted her gaze to look straight ahead of her. "I'm sorry, but I have not yet found an answer to it."

A frown appeared on Sesshoumaru's face. "Don't you want to see her?" he asked.

She smiled sadly. "Is there any mother who does not wish to see her child?"

"It's been ten years," he reminded her. "All these attempts sent by Naraku to assassinate Kagome had been successfully deferred so far despite the fact that she wasn't even here. This is a prove that it's safe enough to-"

"As long as she's the creator of the barrier, we can't have her live here inside this fortress Sesshoumaru...that's too dangerous," she cut him off. Although she sounded determined, her face was expressing the opposite.

"I know that," he agreed. "What I'm asking is a chance for a reunion after being separated for so long. One week...even one day would suffice."

She let out a deep sigh. "When?" she said after a moment in thoughts.

Just when Sesshoumaru was about to answer, a voice interrupted him. "On her birthday!"

Both adults raised their heads up to a tree nearby and watched how a ten-year-old boy jumped off of the highest branch and landed on the tiles before them. His silvery white bangs and fiery red sleeves touched the ground as he slightly kneeled upon landing.

"Inuyasha, you were up there the whole time?" the lady asked surprised.

He flung some silver tresses over his shoulder. "I like taking naps in high places," he confessed.

"How many times do I have to tell you that it's rude to eavesdrop conversations of adults?" she huffed with a frown.

"I didn't do it on purpose," the hanyou argued. "Besides, I was the one who brought up the whole idea to summon back aneue."

The lady widened her eyes and turned to her eldest son.

"Yes, I was the one who told him about Kagome," Sesshoumaru told her with a calm face.

"You?" she said in disbelief. "But I thought you decided that you wouldn't talk about-"

This time, Inuyasha decided to speak. "He was, at first, but I nagged him so hard that he had no other choice but telling me," he laughed, shifting his gaze from his mother to his brother.

"I see..." she mumbled. "So...you wanted her to come back on her birthday, but isn't that too dangerous? I mean...people from all over the Western Lands will be coming here to express their gratitude to Kagome."

"This year isn't going to be any different than previous years," Sesshoumaru reasoned. "Only this time, the one in the room will be the real Kagome instead of Rin. Nobody had ever succeeded in meeting the princess face to face, that's why even Naraku still believes that Kagome is still within the fortress. We'll just have to make sure that it stays that way."

"What you say is true...but..."

"Don't worry haha-ue," Inuyasha cut her off. "I can protect aneue too!"

She smiled. "Yes, but-"

"Aniue will be there too. He's strong enough to protect aneue from an entire army right?" he said determinedly while turning to Sesshoumaru, who looked away out of embarrassment.

Inuyasha was surprised when his mother suddenly put her hands on both his shoulders and knelt down to him. "I know that, dear Inuyasha," she sighed. "Just let me finish, okay?"

He nodded.

"I understand how the both of you feel, because I feel the same way too. But even if I consent to this decision, you will still have to ask the lord first," she told them.

"Father?" Inuyasha raised both brows. "Where is he? I'll go to him right away!"

"Don't be hasty Inuyasha," his mother stopped him. "Your father isn't inside the fortress."

Both dog demons widened their eyes, but when they sniffed the air carefully, they realized she was telling the truth. "Where is he?" Sesshoumaru asked.

"A couple of days ago, your father received an invitation from the lord of the Northern Lands to discuss about a peace treaty. You probably didn't know because the both of you were busy training outdoors lately."

"Aw man! Why didn't you say so in the first place! Now we'll have to say the same things twice when chichi-ue comes back!" the hanyou pouted.

"Haha, I tried to tell you, but you just kept on interrupting me," she laughed.

"When will father return?" Sesshoumaru asked.

She stood up and turned to him. "A messenger came this morning, saying that the lord had already crossed the border, so I guess it will take some weeks before he's finished with discussing the peace treaty."

Hearing that, Inuyasha dropped his face in disappointment. _'A couple of weeks! But that's too long!'_ he groaned inwardly.

"Don't put up that face," his mother smiled to him. "Kagome's birthday is in autumn so you will have enough time to persuade your father when he comes back."

"Really?" the hanyou's gold-amber eyes lit up and he turned to his brother. "All right! Come on aniue, I've rested enough! Let's train some more! I want to become much stronger before aneue comes!" With that, he jumped onto a high branch of the tree of earlier. "I'll wait for you at the same old spot!" he yelled and leaped over the walls of the fortress into the forest.

Amused by his little brother's rapid mood change and motivation, Sesshoumaru let out a soft chuckle and turned to his mother. "Then I shall take my leave as well," he said with his head slightly bowed forward.

"Be careful okay?" she said with a warm smile.

"I will," he nodded. "Good day, mother." And he slowly walked away towards the main gate.

.-.-.-.

_'W-where am I...?'_ he thought as he drifted out of slumber, but as soon as he did so, a throbbing headache welcomed his awakening. Tiredly, he rubbed the bridge of his nose in an attempt to suppress the pain, but he groaned when the headache only seemed to worsen at his touch.

"So...you've finally woken up huh?" a woman's voice spoke.

Bankotsu slowly pushed himself up to a sitting position and shook off the last bit of fogginess that consumed his mind. _'That's Sango's voice...'_ he thought as he turned his head into her direction. Just when he was about to run his fingers through his long hair, he suddenly noticed the bandage that was wound around his head.

"Are you still sane?" she asked harshly. "You'd better be, because you have a lot to explain to me."

"W-what happened?" he asked as he felt a sensitive lump on his forehead underneath the bandage.

"You really have no idea, do you?"

Bankotsu grunted at her provocation and folded his arms together. "No I don't. So why don't you spill it."

"Bastard..." he heard her mutter under her breath but decided to ignore it.

"Yesterday, Kirara came running to me in the middle of the storm when I was on my way home. Riding on her back, I was eventually brought to the clearing where we had found you...and I couldn't believe what I saw."

Bankotsu closed his eyes for a moment. _'Damn, this headache is killing me...'_ he thought frustratingly.

"It was a mess," Sango continued, cutting off his thoughts. "The mountain at the other side of the creek was damaged and there were boulders lying everywhere. Some of them had fallen into the creek, causing the water to spill all over the place. It was practically a swamp." She took a short pause. "And you...you were lying next to a large rock near the border of the clearing. Your head was bleeding when I found you."

Bankotsu frowned. _'That's right...I went there to train...'_ he remembered. _'I continued training despite the rain and thunder...I hit the mountain out of anger...those boulders came rolling down at me...'_

"And then I found Kagome not very far away."

_'Kagome!'_ he thought widened eyes and turned to her fully.

"She was almost completely buried under the rubble. Kirara and I managed to get her out of it, but..."

The faltering of her voice caused a wave of fear inside the assassin. "How is she?" he asked worriedly.

"I had hoped you would be able to explain to me what had happened," she continued, ignoring his question.

"How is Kagome right now?" he repeated with a scowl.

"I thought I told you not to go outside! Why didn't you listen?" she yelled.

"Where the hell is she Sango! Tell me!" he yelled back with fear and anger evident in his voice. _'She can't...she can't be...'_

"She's still alive," the taijiya finally replied. "She is sleeping on the floor next to you and you didn't even realize that. I guess that proves how weak she is right now."

Bankotsu held his breath for a moment and listened carefully. Eventually he caught a very faint sound of respiration coming from beside him. Slowly, he began to recall a certain voice he had heard through the rumbling rocks. _'The voice I heard back then was Kagome's...she pushed me out of the way...to save me...'_

"I want answers Bankotsu," Sango demanded impatiently. "Kagome was buried under the heavy rocks and she barely escaped death. Right now, I'm not even sure if she'll wake up again and yet, an assassin like you got away with a small scratch. What in the world happened yesterday! Tell me!"

"Kagome...saved me from the landslide, she pushed me away when those boulders were rolling towards me," he explained.

"It didn't look like a natural landslide to me," Sango commented with suspicion filling her voice.

"It wasn't," he confessed. "I was the one who caused it."

"You what!" she cried disbelievingly. "No wait a minute, what were you two doing out there in the first place!"

Bankotsu held up his hand to interrupt her. "Hear me out okay? I went there to train, but I didn't know Kagome had followed me. I did ask her to come with me since she was so worried about me being alone, but she refused. I really had no idea that she was there too. As for the landslide, I used my halberd and send an attack towards the mountain from across the creek. I didn't think it would cause much damage, until I heard the rumbling rocks coming down at me. I heard Kagome's voice calling out to me, but before I could react to it, she pushed me away to save me. Upon landing on the floor, I hit something very hard with my head...and then I lost consciousness."

Quietness fell between the two as he finished. He knew the taijiya was fuming of anger by her quickened and heavy breathing.

"I can't believe it..." she mumbled.

He lowered his face. "I'm terribly sor-"

"Don't give me that false apology," she retorted. "You assassins don't have a speck of compassion towards other lives, let alone regretting for taking one."

"I'm not...like that," Bankotsu snarled.

"Then what! You're thankful that Kagome had sacrificed her life to save yours! You murd-"

"Stop talking like she's dead okay! Because she isn't! Geez!" he snapped at her. He wanted to continue but halted himself when he caught a slight trembling in her breathing.

"You don't understand..." she said, a lot softer than before. "I've already lost a lot...if Kagome dies, I'm not going to live either..."

The sudden confession took Bankotsu by surprise. The woman, who had always seemed so strong-minded, was suddenly showing her weak side and for a moment, he was at a loss for words. "L-look, I know that nothing I say now would be able to make the situation any better," he began after she had calmed down. "I'm not asking you to forgive me, but at least let me take care of Kagome until she wakes up. After that, you can kill me or do whatever you want with me."

"You?" she sounded dumbfounded.

"Yes," he replied determined. "For all that she had done for me, please let me stay to do something in return."

"How do I know you're not lying?"

"You can have Kirara watch over me," he reasoned. "If I do something suspicious, you can kill me right away. Without my halberd, which, I presume, is still lying in the clearing, I'm pretty powerless against you and Kirara."

The taijiya got to her feet and walked away. "Rest assure Bankotsu, I won't kill you," she told him. "If Kagome found out I had killed the one she had tried to protect, she would hate me for the rest of her life. But after what had happened, I might not be able to refrain myself from killing you as long as you stay here. That's why, you're going to stay until she wakes up...and then you'll leave."

"If she dies, however," she continued. "you better wash your neck and wait for me, because your head will be mine."

After saying that, the taijiya opened the door and exited the house.

.-.-.-.

Normally, Bankotsu would never allow someone to mock and threaten him like that, but this time was different. Sango had every right and reason to hate him. He was the one to blame and nobody else.

He lied back down on his futon and sunk into his thoughts. There was no time for regrets, the most important thing right now was to make sure that Kagome survives. If she dies, the taijiya would have his head.

A smirk appeared on his face as he replayed her words in his mind.

_"If she dies, however, you better wash your neck and wait for me, because your head will be mine."_

_'The hell I will sit still and meet my end obediently. Even without Banryuu, I'll be able to take on a fire cat and a demon exterminator.'_ he thought to himself. Not that he liked the idea of fighting a woman and a cat, but he had no other choice.

He wasn't allowed to die yet. Not before he had finished the mission to assassinate the princess of the Western Lands and saved his two companions from Naraku's hands.

His train of thoughts ended when the throbbing pain in his head returned after a short pause. _'Urgh...this headache...why isn't it going away...'_ he groaned inwardly as he placed a hand on his forehead. He snapped out of it when Kagome's weak breathing reached in his ears and he slowly turned to her. Suddenly, he realized how insignificant his headache was compared to the pain she must have experienced when she was hit by and buried below those heavy rocks. _'I'm so pathetic...'_ he chuckled inside.

Carefully, he reached out his hand to where Kagome should be lying. He flinched slightly when he came in contact with something cold, but realized that it was a hand, Kagome's hand. Guilt filled his heart as he wrapped his warm hand around her cold one. "Kagome," he whispered softly.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**:  
Hey everybody! I finally finished the paper, now it's only hoping for a good grade :). I still have to prepare a plan for my internship so I'm still very busy at the moment. If time permits, I will update as soon as possible! Hope you liked this chapter, I promise a longer chapter next time!

Greets,

Kittymui

.-.-

_'Italic'_: thoughts  
"...": spoken words  
-.-.-.-: time gap  
-CAPSLOCKED WORDS-: noises

.-.-

**Next chapter: Chapter XIV**

.-

It'll take a while before InuTaisho comes back, so we'll be focusing on Bankotsu and Kagome from here on. But will Kagome survive? Will she be able to meet her family again? More importantly, what will Bankotsu do if she really dies? If she wakes up, he will have to leave...but how will Kagome respond to this? Be sure read the next chapter to find out!

.-

**Vocabulary:**

hanyou: half-demon  
taijiya: exterminator  
haha-ue: a respectful way to refer to your mother  
chichi-ue: a respectful way to refer to your father  
aniue: a respectful way to refer to an older brother  
aneue: a respectful way to refer to an older sister

.-.-

**REPLIES ON REVIEWS:**

Inukamisashi: Sorry for the late update :). Thanks for reviewing!

Hazel or Kory: Hey Olivia! Thanks again for reviewing! By the way, Bankotsu isn't going to meet his team mates in some time!

sesshomaruobsessed: Thanks! I guess Kagome won't be able to apologize for a while, hehehe.

sakurakitsune14: I'm happy you think that way :)!

Wake-Robin: Thanks! Hahaha hit by lightning, haven't thought of that one! Good one! Hahaha.

shadows-insanity: Thanks!

Skitzoflame: Sorry about that :)!

xxprincess-sakuraxx: Hehe honestly, I hate suspence too, but they're fun...sometimes :). Thanks for reviewing!

BelleDayNight: Yeah, I had hoped for a long chapter too :), no really. It's a disappointment for me as well, but I can't really help it, unfortunately enough. Kagome and Bankotsu will separate eventually, but before that...I'm thinking about telling more about them and their relationship :).

Kokoro Mizu no Kaze: Thank you! I will write a longer chapter next time!

Sirayme: Thank you very much :). I'm glad you think that way!

TamiaEternity: I will!

Fluffy'sbabe: Thanks! I'll try to update sooner next time!

Posted: 10 April 2005  
Last Edited: 10 April 2005  
Spelling check: YES

**DISCLAIMER: **I do not own Inuyasha or any characters of it. And I do not own whatever elements of this story that seem familiar and had already been used by other creative individuals before. But... I do own the idea of mixing all of these elements together into a new story!


	15. Chapter XIV

**A TALE FROM THE PAST**

by Kittymui

**CHAPTER XIV**

The soft melodies of birds filled the forest as the sun shone brightly in the powdery azure sky. Since it was time for the airborne creatures to look for future mates, they were doing their best to sing the most beautiful songs.

Bankotsu woke up as the singing became more crowded and slowly sat up. The faint scent of broth lingered in the house and he vaguely remembered hearing the sound of pots and pans this morning. _'She already left huh...?'_ he thought as he stood up and disentangled his hair with his hand.

For a short moment, he held in his breath and listened carefully. His body relaxed when he caught the soft breathing near him on the floor.

Days went by, but Kagome still hadn't woken up. In the first couple of days, Sango stayed home to take care of her fractured leg and wounds, but since two days ago, she decided to continue her daily duties as a demon exterminator. Although they could use simple pieces of wood to keep her leg straight, the medicine and herbs weren't things that could be gathered easily from the forest; it had to be bought.

Before the taijiya left, she would always prepare some food that he and Kagome could use later on. It seemed like a kind act at first, but at the end, she just didn't trust him with any other complicated cooking activities than lighting the stove and heating up the food.

The woman would also order her pet to keep a close eye on him, which bothered him a little since the fire cat growled at every activity he attempted to take out. Especially when it concerned Kagome. Until today, the only thing he had to do was to feed Kagome and make sure she stayed alive until Sango returned, but even so, Kirara growled at every contact he inevitable made with the sleeping girl.

Bankotsu sighed and carefully trailed along the wall towards the sink. After washing his tired face with a clean and wet towel, he turned to the spot where Kirara always slept. "Hey Kirara, we are out of wood aren't we?" he asked.

A soft grumble was the fire cat's reply.

"Won't you keep an eye on me while I go outside? I'll surely need some help to find some dry wood for the stove," he said, trying to get the guardian to go with him. "Don't worry about Kagome, her condition has already stabilized for a few days, I'm sure she'll be okay. Besides, we're going to stay in the vicinity so if anything happens, you'll be able to race back here right?"

Bankotsu flung a portable basket over his shoulder and opened the door. "Are you coming or not?"

With an annoyed growl, Kirara transformed into a bigger cat and trailed behind him.

.-.-.

"If you find some dry wood, tell me okay?" he said as they walked over the dirt path. Right after he said that, a growl sounded from behind him and he turned around. "Did you find something?"

He walked back until he kicked up a piece of branch. "All right!" he said with a smile and put it into the basket on his back. "We make a good team, don't we?"

The fire cat didn't respond to this and rudely brushed pass him.

_'Still angry at me huh? Oh well, I guess I can't blame her...'_ he thought to himself as he followed her loud footsteps.

Some time later, the basket was filled with dry twigs and branches. Bankotsu slightly rearranged the ropes around his shoulders and turned to Kirara. "We should be heading back now," he suggested. "Can you lead the way?"

A low growl was the reply, followed by the sound of footsteps going into the direction from whence they came.

While heading back, Bankotsu suddenly caught a familiar and nostalgic scent. _'This smell...'_ he thought as some long forgotten memories emerged from the deepest corners of his mind.

.-FLASHBACK-.

A familiar room replaced the darkness before his eyes. It was brightly illuminated despite the thin white paper filtering the daylight and beautiful grayscale landscapes were painted on the other screens partitioning the place. It was quite large for a living room and the only furniture standing in it was a low dining table at the center and a classic cabinet in the corner.

And then, a small boy came in view, sitting on the low table with his short legs hanging over the edge. His face was cast downwards and there were traces of tears at the corners of his eyes. His long black hair slightly jolted along with his shoulders as he hiccupped.

He lifted up his face when a woman approached him and stopped before him. She was dressed in a fresh blue kimono with silver birds adorning her legs. Her gray eyes met his blue-gray ones and several silky black locks escaped from behind her ears as she knelt down to the wooden floor until their faces were on the same height.

Nervously, he shifted to look at the dark purple mark on her forehead instead. It had the shape of an upright cross but unlike a regular cross, the four ends were pointy. He remembered she telling him once that it was their family crest and that it would always be passed down no matter what partner you chose.

"Bankotsu," she said to draw his full attention. Her voice sounded stricter than usual.

He cast his gaze downward in submission. "M-mother..." he politely greeted her.

"You fell, didn't you?"

He nodded and looked down at his dark brown pants, which was shredded and slightly red at the height of his knees. "I'm sorry..."

The woman sighed. "Pull up your hakama and let me see."

After doing what he was told, he noticed the change of expression on his mother's face and slightly cringed when she spoke.

"Look what you've done this time..." she complained and put her hand into one of her sleeves.

Out of curiosity, Bankotsu followed the object that she took out. It was a small shell-shaped container made of wood and iron. Although it was obviously an object for girls, he couldn't help but find it pretty. But as soon as his mother opened it with a click, an overwhelming smell of herbs filled his nose and he flinched.

"Hold still!" she ordered as she ran two fingers over the mint green colored substance in the shell.

"It stinks!" he argued with his hand placed over his nose and scooted away on the table.

"Well, I told you not to play there. You just had to disobey me and get yourself hurt," she reasoned and applied the salve on his knees.

"Ack!" he winced in pain as the wounds began to sting like flame burning his skin.

A hand held down his leg and restricted his spastic movements. "Don't move Bankotsu! It will only sting for a short moment!"

Bankotsu calmed down after a couple of seconds. Just like his mother said, the stinging disappeared and gradually turned into a cool feeling. "W-what is that?" he asked, pointing at the salve.

"It's a very effective medicine for open wounds," she explained while applying the second portion on his other knee.

"Is it expensive?"

She nodded. "It's made from a very rare herb that only grows in very dense forests. Only a handful of people know of its existence."

He raised both brows in curiosity. "Then how did you find out about it?"

"My mother, your grandmother, taught me when I was about your age," she told him as she rolled down his pants. "Want me to teach you how to make it? It might come in handy someday."

Bankotsu hesitated and made an ugly face as another wave of its smell filled his nose when she closed the small wooden shell. "You can make the medicine," he said. "Then I won't have to learn it, right?"

His mother placed a hand on his cheek. "I might not be able to be by your side at all times, Bankotsu."

"Well then I'll just have to run back to you, right?" he chuckled.

A warm smile appeared on his mother's graceful face.

"You silly boy."

.-END FLASHBACK-.

Today, he finally understood. She was indeed not able to be by his side forever and he couldn't depend on her anymore. Unconsciously, he began to follow the scent and knelt down where it was strongest. His mother's words replayed in his thoughts as he plucked a branch and held it to his nose.

_"It's a very effective medicine for open wounds..."_

_"...it might come in handy someday..."_

Without second thought, he plucked some more and put it into the basket on his back. He got to his feet again and quickly walked back to where he stood before. Fortunately, the fire cat had stopped walking when he strayed from the path.

"Sorry for making you wait," he apologized as he caught up with her.

A growl escaped the big-sized demon and together they made their way back to the house.

.-.-.-.

Upon entering the clearing, Kirara sensed something amiss and quickly ran from his side into the house.

"What's wrong?" Bankotsu asked as he entered and listened carefully. He suddenly heard a very heavy breathing and became alarmed. _'Kagome!'_ He thought as he put down the basket of wood and carefully walked towards the girl on the floor.

As soon as he reached her, he knelt down. _'Her breathing fastened and is heavier than before...'_ he analyzed inwardly and moved his hand to where her face should be. _'Damn, she's having a fever!'_ he realized shocked when his hand found her burning forehead.

Realizing the need to lower her head's temperature, he dashed alongside a wall towards the sink and filled a bucket with cold water. While running back to the girl, he almost tripped over the basket with twigs, but luckily he regained his balance on time. He ignored the pain coming from his foot and began to rinse a towel in the cold water as soon as he knelt down next to Kagome.

_'She was fine this morning, what could be wrong...?'_ he thought as he located her forehead with one hand and placed the cold towel on it with his other. _'It couldn't have been a cold...she was al packed up under the blanket...'_

After considering some possible causes for her unexpected fever, he suddenly realized something very important. _'Infections!'_ Without a moment to hesitate, he immediately ran to one of the walls and searched for the cabinet where the bandages and medicine were stored. As soon as he found what he was desperately looking for, he returned to Kagome's side.

Bankotsu rolled up his sleeves and washed his hands seriously in the bucket of cold water. _'I can do this...'_ he told himself as he dried his hands with a clean towel.

He walked towards the basket where he had put the herbs he found earlier. While he removed the leaves from the branches, he couldn't help but thank his mother for teaching him back then. With a spoon he began to squish the leaves firmly on a ceramic plate and eventually, the leaves turned into a pulp that was identical to the salve his mother had applied on his knees back then. Gathering the salve into a bowl, he went back to Kagome.

He remembered the taijiya telling him that Kagome had some open wounds on both her arms and her fractured leg and decided to deal with her arms first. He was relieved that he hadn't made contact with places he had no intention of touching before he found her left arm and he placed it carefully on his lap. But as soon as he started to unwrap the bandage, an angry growl from his side halted him.

He turned to the growling demon. "It could be an infection Kirara. She would be in grave danger if it is, so I need to make sure," he told her. But the fire cat didn't stop growling.

_'There's no time to waste on explaining...'_ he thought and continued to untie the bandage. _'There's no mistaking it...it must be an infection.'_ he concluded when he sensed a higher temperature coming from beneath the thin cloths.

Suddenly, a sharp pain shot from his arm that was removing the bandage through his entire body and he stopped the activity. It took him seconds to realize what had happened as he felt something warm running from his limb to his lap.

Kirara had bit him out of anger. He could practically feel the grumbling in her throat on his skin.

He bit his lip to suppress the pain and turned to her calmly. "Kagome couldn't have caught a cold," he reasoned. "I'm positive that it's an infection, Kirara. I know that, because I have been injured countless times before. The temperature of an infected spot is always higher than the rest of the body. Kagome's arms is practically burning, I'm sure you can sense that better than I do."

Bankotsu knew the fire cat was hesitating when the grip on his arm began to loosen a bit. "We can't wait for Sango to stop the infection. If we wait, Kagome will probably die," he added seriously.

Right after he said that, the demon let go of his arm. Bankotsu let out a relieved sigh, he was glad that she listened to him and understood the situation. "Trust me, okay? I won't let her die," he promised. His arm was still bleeding and the stinging pain remained, but he didn't care. He quickly removed the entire bandage of Kagome's arm and began to wash the infected area with a clean cloth. After applying some of the aromatic substance, he immediately covered up the wound with a new bandage and tied up the ends.

Without time to lose, he quickly repeated the process with her other arm and then shifted to check her fractured leg.

.-.

An hour passed and Bankotsu finally finished attaching a straight piece of wood to Kagome's fractured leg, but that was not before he had applied a great deal of the salve on the large gash that ran from her knee to her ankle. He was quite shocked to find out the scale of her injuries. Actually, he had no idea of the severity of her wounds since Sango was always the one doing the bandaging, but now he knew and he couldn't feel any more guilty.

Now that he was done, all he could do was wait. While he continued to lower the temperature of her head, the girl herself had to fight the inner battle against the infection and fever. If possible, he had hoped for her condition to stabilize before the taijiya returned since she would again demand a lot of explanation.

_'Something to eat might help...'_ he thought to himself. But as soon as he stood up, a wave of dizziness caught him off guard. He would surely have fallen to the floor had the fire cat not pulled him back to his feet.

"T-thanks..." he said with a hand on his head. _'I must've lost quite some blood...'_ he concluded as he placed his other hand on the cat's large back for support. Much to his surprise, Kirara didn't pull away, and she guided him to the stove instead.

"I'm fine now, the dizziness has lessened," he said to her as he shifted to lean on the stone stove. With that said, he threw some dry wood into it and created a fire with some firestones.

The broth was heated up after a while and Bankotsu decided to feed Kagome first before having his own share. With a bowl in his one hand and his other one leaning on Kirara's back, he was guided back to the girl's side. He knelt down and hesitated for a moment before slipping an arm below her shoulders to lift her up. This time, the fire cat didn't interfere, nor did she complain about he touching Kagome, and he was glad about it. He surely wouldn't be able to sit upright anymore if he lost any more blood. With a thumb placed on Kagome's chin to pin down the location of her mouth, he carefully fed her the broth, spoon by spoon.

A couple of spoons later, he paused and turned to the fire cat. "Kirara, I think you should tell Sango to come back. Kagome's body temperature isn't showing any signs of decrease and as her sister, your mistress should be told about this situation." he suggested. "Don't worry about me and Kagome, I can handle things from here on. Trust me."

Kirara remained silent for a moment but eventually growled in acknowledgement and left in a flash.

_'Why did I do that?'_ Bankotsu wondered inwardly as he continued the feeding. _'The taijiya would surely have my head if Kagome dies of this fever...then why am I so eager to bring her back? Why am I helping them instead of running away?'_ Being deep in thoughts, the spoon bumped against Kagome's lower lip and some of the broth was spilled over her chin and cheeks. "Shit!" he cursed and quickly reached out for a clean piece of cloth.

As he dabbed the cloth alongside her lips, he tried to picture her face in his mind. Mindlessly, he turned over the cloth and moved it over the upper part of her face. Slowly and gently, he traced the contours of her forehead, temples, eyes and nose, but the picture in his mind was merely a blurred image. Like a bubble, the image snapped into nothingness and he broke the contact with her face. _'What am I doing?' _ he smacked himself mentally as he put away the cloth. Shaking away the irrelevant thoughts, he carried on with what he was doing.

When he was done, he finally had time to bandage his injured arm and feed his empty stomach. The bandaging was done pretty quickly and eating didn't pose any problems either. Then it was time for cleaning up the mess and himself, as he wouldn't want the taijiya to see him or the floor covered with blood.

.-.-.-.

"C-cold..."

The voice startled Bankotsu as he undressed himself of his bloodstained clothes. The weakness of the voice made him realize to whom it belonged and he quickly slipped into a set of new clothes that he had found in one of the cabinets. "Kagome?" he called out worriedly as he knelt down to her side. "Kagome...what's wrong?"

"S-so...cold..." she moaned hoarsely.

_'Cold?' _he thought and checked the thick blanket that was tightly wrapped around her body. _'The blanket is warm, how could she be cold?' _ Without second thought, he gathered his own blanket and laid it over Kagome. "Is this better?" he asked.

"Cold..." was her reply.

Bankotsu started to panic a little. _'Still cold? What should I do...?'_

His heart twitched when he heard the shifting and squirming sound coming from beneath the blankets. _'Is it only the cold or is she also in pain...?'_ he thought frustratingly. _'Damn it! If only I could see what was wrong with her!' _

"I'm...cold..." she repeated with a trembling voice.

Out of instinct, he removed the blankets and slowly gathered Kagome in his arms while heeding her fractured leg. Not wanting to risk falling while holding her, he sat down on the floor and gently placed her on his lap. With an arm secured around her shoulder, he used his other arm and his legs to scoot backwards until he reached a wall. After settling himself comfortable against it with his back, he carefully placed the girl to lean sideways against his chest. He picked up one of the blankets of the floor and used it to cover up the both of them. Protectively, he wrapped both his arms around her frail body and pulled her closer to him.

To his relief, the girl began to calm down and the trembling started to lessen. As he ran his fingers through her tresses to disentangle them, the dampness of her hair drifted to his nose. _'She smells nice...'_ he thought dreamily. _'...just like spring rain...'_ At that moment, the exhaustion finally caught up with the assassin and he rested the back of his head against the wall before closing his eyes. _ 'Kagome...'_ he called her name in his mind.

_'Don't die on me...'_ After that, he fell into a deep slumber.

.-.-.-.

"What the hell is going on here!"

The fairly loud voice forced Bankotsu out of his dreams. _'W-who...?'_ he grumbled inwardly, but a name already popped up inside his head before he had finished wondering. _'It's Sango huh...?' _ Noticing the anger in her voice, he decided to fake sleeping until the taijiya had calmed down. In her current state, she would most likely refuse any explanation and grab her weapons instead, but he couldn't really blame her for misunderstanding since, in her eyes, her sister was sleeping in the arms of an assassin.

"You bastard, I'll kill you!" she cried furiously.

The sound of a sword being unsheathed could be heard and Bankotsu knew he couldn't pretend to sleep any longer. His body became tenser with every step she took towards them, but he realized that whatever should happen, he mustn't involve Kagome.

Just when he was about to jump up in defense, a small draft halted him. _'W-what was that?'_

"Kirara, what are you doing!" said the taijiya. She sounded dumbfounded, but she wasn't the only one. Bankotsu was puzzled as well.

"Step aside Kirara, I will not have that bastard touching Kagome!"

The silence that followed indicated that the fire cat hadn't moved an inch.

"Why Kirara? Why are you protecting him? He's an assassin," Sango said, her voice sounding less menacing than before. "Are you saying that he has no intention of hurting Kagome? Look what he had done to her!"

Bankotsu relaxed as he listened to the two. The demon cat was preventing his mistress from killing him. Had she begun to trust him? Nevertheless, he was grateful for it. Not only had the fire cat prevented unnecessary bloodshed, she had also prevented her mistress from being killed. If the taijiya really intended to have his head, he would've killed her without hesitation and then, he would have to kill the cat as well.

"Fine Kirara, if you want to protect him so much...then so be it. I won't raise my weapon against you," she sighed in defeat as she sheathed her sword.

She told the fire cat to guard the house and left, saying that she needed some time alone to cool off. The dispute was laid to rest for now, but the assassin was still deep in thoughts.

After finishing off the taijiya and the fire cat...what would he do about Kagome? She would hate him for the rest for her life for sure and probably try to find ways to avenge her sister. Needless to say, he wouldn't let anyone take his life before he had rescued Kyoukotsu and Ginkotsu. Then why was he so doubtful when he thought about having to take Kagome's life as well? An awkward feeling traveled through his chest as he thought about the idea of having her blood all over his hands.

He mentally shook it off before it was beginning to nauseate him. He would definitely carry out the mission and save his companions first, but what would he do after that? Suddenly he began to remember the conversation he once had with Kagome.

_"Do you...intend to continue being an assassin after you've recovered?"_

_"Yes."_

_"Your wife must be very lonely."_

_He responded with an amused laughter. "I'm not married Kagome."_

_"You serious? I mean...don't you feel lonely sometimes? Or are you planning never to bind yourself to someone because you're an assassin?" In an unbroken sentence, her voice was filled with surprise and bewilderment. _

_"You're quite nosy, did you know that? But the fact that I'm not married right now, doesn't mean I'm never going to get married."_

_"Even a merciless assassin like me wants to settle down someday with a very special woman whom I shall love with all my heart," he continued. "I just haven't found her yet."_

_'A very special woman...huh...?'_ he repeated his own words. Marrying means to give up being an assassin, which was strange, because a couple of months ago, he wouldn't even dream about a future without the Shichinintai. What had changed?

He snapped out of it when the person in his arms suddenly took a deep breath.

_'Is it...because of her...?'_ he wondered as he loosened his embrace a bit to give her more space to breath. Her calming scent filled his nose as he inhaled deeply. _'Even if it is...what's the use...? She wouldn't hold any affections for a cold-blooded assassin like me...'_

_"Assassins are also humans..."_

With these words, Kagome had wanted him to believe that he was just like any other normal human, but he couldn't. With the blood of so many people on his hands, he could never live a 'normal' life again. It was for the best if he just forgot these complicated feelings.

Ultimately, he just didn't want to curse her life with his sins.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**:  
Aw that was sweet of Bankotsu don't you agree? Hope you liked this chapter. It took me a while again, sorry. Starting from next week it will take around 2 weeks to update a chapter because of the internship. It's practically a 9 to 5 job so there will be little time left for the story. But don't worry, I won't abandon this story or something. Just be patient (you readers as well as myself :)) and we will reach the end of this story! 

Greets,

Kittymui

.-.-.-.

_'Italic'_: thoughts  
"...": spoken words  
.-.-.: time gap  
CAPSLOCKED WORDS: noises

.-.-.-.

**Next chapter: Chapter XV**

.-.-.

Guess you already saw it coming...Kagome is going to wake up. Bankotsu promised to leave if that happens...but what will Kagome do? What can she do about it?

.-.-.

**Vocabulary:**

**taijiya:** exterminator  
**Shichinintai:** seven-man-group  
**hakama: **traditional Japanese pants worn by men

.-.-.-.

**REPLIES ON REVIEWS:**

**Wake-Robin: **Thanks!

**sakurakitsune14:** Glad you liked it!

**darkenedmoonlightflame: **Thank you! I update as soon as I can!

**BelleDayNight: **Thanks for telling me what you like about the chapters, it's nice to know that :).

**xxprincess-sakuraxx: **Well, I'm not really that terrific and I'm sure you can write pretty well too! Thanks for the review, I'm glad you like the story so far :)!

**Olivia:** Thank you very much!

**sessywuver: **Yup it really is, but it will get better, I promise!

**Kokoro Mizu no Kaze: **Nope, he won't be able to see Kagome at all, because if he does, he wouldn't be killing Kagome in the near future and then the entire history would fall apart. And then this entire story will fall apart as well :). Bankotsu will be able to see someday, but not now, not yet.

**shadows-insanity: **Thanks! I'll try to update as soon as possible!

**Fluffy'sbabe: **Glad you liked it!

**eMeLyNoOoPeE: **Yup, you're totally right!

**Skitzoflame: **I think so too!

**KagomeMiko2:** Thank you! I wish I had more time to read stories from other authors besides writing my own story. If time permits, I'll be sure to check out your stories as well!

**TamiaEternity: **Thanks! I'm so happy to hear that!

**sesshomaruobsessed:** Hmm, the bandage isn't wrapped around his eyes, but his forehead because he hit a rock. Furthermore, he won't be able to see for a loooong time, because if he does, the dream of the very first chapter won't come true :). Hope that clears up a bit. Thanks for reviewing!

**blackrose113:** Glad you think that way!

**Miry:** Thank you very much! But Bankotsu won't be able to see Kagome at all (that bandage was wrapped around his forehead and not his eyes because he hit a rock remember?), because if he does, the dream of the first chapter won't be coming true. It's pretty sad, but that's how I had planned the story :).

Posted: 21 April 2005  
Last Edited: 21 April 2005  
Spelling check: YES

**DISCLAIMER: **I do not own Inuyasha or any characters of it. And I do not own whatever elements of this story that seem familiar and had already been used by other creative individuals before. But... I do own the idea of mixing all of these elements together into a new story!


	16. Chapter XV

**A TALE FROM THE PAST**

by Kittymui

**CHAPTER XV**

: DREAM SEQUENCE :

Kagome was walking around in an endless dark space, dressed in a thin white kimono. Her chestnut eyes were scanning her surroundings, looking for something to focus on other than the creepy blackness.

_'Where am I?'_ she thought with uneasiness filling her soul. _'What is this place?'_

After walking some more, she suddenly found herself standing inside a familiar bedroom and she abruptly came to a halt. The place was softly illuminated by diffused sunlight and the paintings on the screens that partitioned the space brought back memories from the distant past.

Before she could figure out where she was, a voice from behind caught her by surprise.

"Kagome."

She turned to the voice and held a hand before her mouth in shock. "Sesshoumaru onii-sama!" she gasped.

"You have finally returned," said the tall dog demon before her. He was wearing his usual clothing and armor with his fluffy white tail draped over his right shoulder. The gold of his eyes made the crescent moon mark on his forehead stand out and there was a strange serenity radiating from his demonic features.

His silvery white hair slightly jolted sideward as he spread out his arms. "Come to me," he said with a calm voice, but it didn't sound like an order.

Without hesitation, Kagome started walking towards him. Slowly, she leaned onto his chest and waited for his arms to wrap around her body. "I-I missed you so much..." she whispered in his white haori. She knew this room. It was her bedroom back at the fortress and it felt good to be back again.

The demon placed his arms around her and hugged her back. "I missed you too...Kagome."

She slightly cringed when her name came out in another voice. It sounded much harsher and colder than before and she pushed away a little to look up.

Her body froze and her eyes widened in an instant when she saw in whose arms she suddenly found herself. "N-Naraku..." she articulated his name, barely able to make it sound more than a gasp.

After so many years, his looks haven't changed for one bit. His wavy hair was still as dark as the night and his eyes couldn't be more vexing with their bloody red glow. It felt as if they were piercing through her soul and she quickly averted her gaze. "L-let me go," she said as she tried to pry off his arms.

"You know," he spoke with a voice that sent shivers down one's spine. "You've made it very hard for me girl. It took me a great deal of time and patience to break that barrier of yours."

Kagome paused in her movements and shifted to look back at him. "T-the barrier's broken? B-but that...that means..." she stammered in disbelief.

"It means...you're dead," he finished her sentence.

"That can't be! I-I can't be dead...I can't die yet!" she gasped in disbelief.

A smirk appeared on Naraku's face. "If you're not dead, then how can I be standing here?"

Despite her struggling, his grip on her only tightened. "Come with me," he offered.

"To where?" she asked.

"To the rest of your family."

Kagome blinked in puzzlement. "My family? Where are they?"

"In hell of course! Where else?" he replied flatly, as if it was the most normal thing to happen.

"Wh-what?"

"They're dead, Kagome, just like you," he added. "Your dear brother's there as well."

Kagome couldn't believe what she was hearing. "Sesshoumaru onii-sama?"

"Oh yes, we've been sparring a lot and I must admit that he's a terrific fighter," he commented.

Hearing that, Kagome narrowed her eyes. "You liar! Sesshoumaru onii-sama would never do that! He'd rather kill you than waste his time on sparring with you!"

Naraku smirked. "Clever girl, but it won't do you any good now, since you'll be coming with me whether you like it or not."

"No!" she cried and struggled for her life. To her shock, the bedroom was suddenly filled with blazing flames and a circle of fire was closing in onto them. "Let me go!" With her eyes closed to protect them from the heat, she hammered as hard as she could on the lord's chest with her fists.

All of a sudden, the grip around her body disappeared, causing her to topple forward on the floor. She slowly opened her eyes and realized that Naraku was nowhere to be found. Instead, she found herself surrounded by a cage of fire, trapped, like a helpless bird. She wasn't inside the fortress anymore as everything outside the cage was pitch black. Tears emerged as she thought how powerless she was right now, but as soon as the salty liquid escaped her eyes, it evaporated into the air, leaving no traces behind on her face. Overwhelmed by the high temperature, Kagome curled into a ball on the floor and prayed for someone to save her.

Her ears twitched when she heard a distant voice through the crisping fire.

"Kagome!"

_'Who's calling me?'_ she wondered as she darted her eyes around, but the stinging heat and blinding light of the flames forced her to avert her gaze. Eager to find out who the person was, she began to push herself up from the floor.

"Kagome! Get down!" the voice commanded.

She listened to the voice and let herself fall down on her stomach again. With widened eyes, she watched how the cage of fire split into several large pieces and cascaded to the floor around her.

A silhouette ran to her side and knelt down. "W-who are you?" she asked, realizing that it was a man.

"There's no time, let's get out of here first before we dehydrate too much!" he suggested and lifted her up bridal style.

"At least...tell me your name..." she pleaded, but her savior didn't seem to have heard her as he dashed into an unknown direction. "I-it's no use, we can't escape..." she murmured to herself.

"Look!"

Kagome perked her head up and looked around. Hope began to fill her heart when she saw a dot of light before them. _'Is that...the exit?'_ she thought hopefully and turned to her savior.

_'...eh?'_ she thought puzzled when she caught a glimpse of the object that he was carrying on his back. As she traced the outlines of what should be the hilt of a weapon, she realized that she had seen it before. It was a long hilt with a crescent shaped figure attached to the end. _'B-Banryuu?'_ she though wide-eyed and turned to look at the owner. _'Then...then he must be...'_

"Ban...kotsu..." she whispered softly.

As soon as she said the name, a flash of light blinded her temporarily as they have reached the exit, and she shielded her eyes. After adapting to the bright sunlight, she moved away her hand and turned to the one who saved her. A gasped escaped her lips as she realized that it really was him.

His bangs and long thin braid danced along with her raven tresses as fresh breezes welcomed their return.

Her staring drew the assassin's attention and he turned to look down at her. "What's wrong?" he asked.

Kagome noticed that both his eyes had lost their hazy gleam. "Your eyes..." she began. "Y-you can see?"

"Of course I can," he replied with a smile.

Nervously, she shifted from his perfectly blue-gray eyes to look at the dark cross on his forehead. "But the poison...how did you-"

"You're beautiful, Kagome," he cut her off.

The sudden compliment made blood rush up to her cheeks and she averted her gaze in embarrassment. _'I-I must be dreaming...'_

"This is not a dream Kagome," Bankotsu voice cut off her thoughts. "This is reality."

Surprised that he could read her thoughts, Kagome turned to him, but to her shock, Bankotsu's form began to fade away. "Bankotsu?" she called and reached out her hand to him. The image of the assassin vanished completely before she could touch him and she suddenly found herself lying between some thick roots of an old leafless tree behind her. "Bankotsu!" she called out, but there was no reply except for a long echo of her own voice.

When she gazed up to the sky, she saw how the sun disappeared behind thick gray clouds. As the last ray of sunlight became blocked, tiny white flocks began to fall down from the sky and soon, the entire landscape was covered with a layer of snow.

An icy breath caressed her cheeks and she immediately curled herself up into a ball against the trunk. Exploring her surroundings with her eyes, she found nothing but an open field before her. Even the dark cave of earlier was nowhere to be found. It was only her and the old tree.

"C-cold..." she moaned as she watched her breath escape her lips.

Her body became heavier by the minute and she couldn't find any more strength to remain awake. _'Is this it...?'_ she thought to herself. The snowy white landscape in front of her was becoming darker and darker and she realized that she was beginning to lose consciousness.

_'It's so quiet...'_ she thought to herself with closed eyes. _ 'I'm...'_

"Kagome? Kagome...what's wrong?"

She recognized Bankotsu's voice but couldn't respond or open her eyes because of the fatigue. One dream after the other and she didn't know what was reality anymore. Where was she now? The icy winds had stopped torturing her but the trembling of her body refused to end. "S-so cold..." she breathed weakly. _'T-this is a dream...'_ she told herself. _'I'm still dreaming...'_

She knew something had been placed on top of her since the pressure on her body increased, but the additional weight had only made breathing more difficult, it did nothing to warm her up.

"Is this better?" the voice asked.

"Cold..." she replied with a trembling voice. Frustration ran through her mind as the weight on top of her disappeared. _'What is happening to me now...?'_ she thought tiredly. She felt herself being lifted up and soon; the coldness was replaced by a very warm presence. It felt as though she was leaning against a lighted stove, but the soft beating that drifted to her ears made her realize that it was someone's chest. And that someone was most likely Bankotsu.

She felt two arms wrapping around her and relaxed as her body began to regain its normal temperature. Even within the arms of an assassin, she felt secure and safe. As she listened to his calm heartbeat, she felt sleepier by the second. _'That's funny...why am I feeling sleepy inside a dream...?'_ she thought tiredly before darkness consumed her mind once again.

: END DREAM SEQUENCE :

.-.-.-.

The first thing Bankotsu did the next morning was checking the fever of the girl sleeping in his arms. With a hand on her forehead and the other one placed on his, he measured the difference in temperature.

At the same time, a soft mew sounded from beside him and he smiled. "Don't worry, her fever is gone," he reassured the fire cat.

"In other words, it's time for you to get your hands off of her," a voice rudely interrupted the calm atmosphere.

Bankotsu's ears twitched, he was a bit startled to hear Sango's voice as he thought she had already left for her usual duties.

"Now that you've woken up, you owe me another explanation," she demanded.

Carefully, Bankotsu scooted away from the wall he was leaning on with Kagome in his arms and he placed her onto her futon. "She had a high fever yesterday. When I checked her wounds, I found out it was caused by an infection so I put some herbal medicine on all of the wounds before changing the bandages," he explained while pulling a blanket over Kagome's body. "While Kirara was away to look for you, Kagome mumbled in her sleep that she was freezing. I tried putting more blankets over her body, but she kept saying that she was cold, so I decided to warm her up using my own body temperature."

The silence that followed didn't keep him from doing his normal morning activities as he was convinced that he didn't do anything wrong. He got to his feet and made his way towards the sink and washed his face. "Look, I'm not asking you to believe me, but at least trust me that I wouldn't do anything to harm Kagome."

"Why should I?" she spat annoyed.

"Because I want my head to stay where it is right now!" he snapped back.

"I don't trust or believe you," she said after a while. "But I trust Kirara."

The taijiya got to her feet. "If she really did say things in her sleep last night, it won't be long before she wakes up," she stated with relief.

"Where are you going?" he asked, following her footsteps to the door behind him.

"I'm going to buy new bandages and some food, you didn't think they would fall out of the sky, did you?" she replied flatly before exiting the house.

After the sound of the door closing, Bankotsu returned to Kagome's side with a clean towel in his hand.

While he cleaned her face and limbs, he thought about what happened yesterday when Sango came back. "Thank you Kirara," he said. "I would've been killed by your mistress if you hadn't stopped her."

_'Liar...'_ he scolded himself at the same time.

A mew was the reply from the fire cat as she approached him from the side.

Bankotsu paused for a moment when he felt something touching his bandaged arm and smiled when he realized it was Kirara. "It's okay, you were just worried about Kagome," he forgave her. "I'm an assassin remember? Such a wound is nothing compared to what I had experienced in the past year."

He rinsed the towel back at the sink and dried his hand on his shirt. "I guess it's not really wise to leave Kagome alone right now," he reasoned aloud. "We'll just have to wait until Sango comes back."

.-.

About an hour later, the taijiya returned. The mixed smell of bread and herbs filled the room as she put the things on the low table.

"Good, you're still here," she said after a moment.

With a raised brow, Bankotsu turned to her fully.

"Kagome is going to wake up soon..." she paused before continuing. "...and when she does, I don't want you to be around."

Kirara slightly growled in protest, but was shushed by her mistress. "No Kirara, I won't let you stop me this time," she said boldly.

Bankotsu frowned as a small package was forced into his hands.

"Here's some food for you on the way. Now leave."

Dumbfounded, he couldn't find the words to argue with the taijiya, but he sensed that he wouldn't be able to win the argument. With a sigh, he stood up and prepared himself for departure.

Before he walked through the open door, he turned to where Kagome was on the floor. _'Goodbye Kagome...take care...'_

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**:  
A very short chapter...I know, but I had to stop here because of what I have planned to write for the next chapter. There will be a lot of thinking, some perspective changing and not to forget...fluff in the next chapter :). I'm sure the next chapter will be longer than this one! Be sure to look forward to it okay? 

Greets,

Kittymui

.-.-.

_'Italic'_: thoughts  
"...": spoken words  
-.-.-.-: time gap  
-CAPSLOCKED WORDS-: noises

.-.-.

**Next chapter: Chapter XVI**

.-.

Okay, now Kagome's really going to wake up :). I guess it's not really that hard to figure out how she will react to Sango's explanation about Bankotsu's disappearance. But with a fractured leg and wounds on both her arms, what can she do? Will Bankotsu be too far away to reach when she wakes up? Read the next chapter to find out!

.-.

**Vocabulary:**

**onii-sama:** a very respectful way to refer to an older brother  
**taijiya:** exterminator

.-.-.

**REPLIES ON REVIEWS:**

**BelleDayNight: **Now that you mention it...it does resemble the Kenshin routine hahaha. Hmm, I guess I explained it in a wrong way. The dark cross on Bankotsu's forehead is something that will definitely be passed on to descendants, despite what kind of partner you choose, so Kagome isn't going to have such a cross, but their child would if they had one :). Hahaha about that flashing back to the scene where Bankotsu kills Kagome, it's good to have that in the back of your mind, because I want readers to remember what the main plot is of the history-story hehehe. By making the history-story long, I was afraid that some readers might forget about the fact that it is a book, which we are reading through the main character's eyes.

**darkenedmoonlightflame: **Thanks! Hahaha I wish I had a button on myself with which I can start my inspiration immediately and get a chapter done within 2 hours :).

**sessywuver: **Hahaha, all these questions will definitely be answered in the future chapters, don't worry! Thanks for reviewing!

**Wake-Robin: **She will :)! I'll try to update as soon as possible!

**sakurakitsune14:** Thank you very much!

**Skitzoflame:** Hehehe, it all starts with trust :)! Thanks for reviewing!

**blackrose113: **Hahaha I wouldn't go that far to say that he loves her, but he does feel something for her. He knows where that feeling would get him to so he refrains himself before he gets too deep into it.

**Angel of Darkness and Death:** Thanks! Glad you loved it!

**sesshomaruobsessed: **Thank you! Yup, that's what I'm telling you. I know it's cruel but that's how the story goes :). And nope, Sango's definitely NOT going to like it hehehe.

**Fluffy'sbabe: **Hope you are feeling much better now! I'm touched to hear that you reviewed despite you were feeling sick...sobs...

**Duzzie: **Thank you for reviewing! I'm glad you liked it!

**Miry:** I can't wait myself either hehehe, because there's still a bit more to come after he finishes reading it. However, there are still more chapters to come before the final scene :) :grins:

**lady-joker: **Glad you loved it so far!

**Sirayme:** I enjoyed reading your review :) and all of the others too! I'm so happy to know that you don't mind me taking a bit more time to update! It removes a LOT of pressure hehehe, thanks!

**Lady Kogawolf: **Thanks! I'm glad you liked it! I hope that you will follow this story to its end!

Posted: 1 May 2005  
Last Edited: 1 May 2005  
Spelling check: YES

**DISCLAIMER: **I do not own Inuyasha or any characters of it. And I do not own whatever elements of this story that seem familiar and had already been used by other creative individuals before. But... I do own the idea of mixing all of these elements together into a new story!


	17. Chapter XVI

**A TALE FROM THE PAST**

by Kittymui

**CHAPTER XVI**

Kagome slowly opened her eyes and blinked several times. Tiredly, she looked around her and let out an inaudible sigh. _'It was just...a dream...'_ she thought as relief and disappointment filled her mind. _'The same dream...'_ She gazed out of the open window and judging by the source and direction of the sunlight, she realized that it was afternoon.

The sound of a door closing drew her attention and she turned to the entrance until she met a familiar pair of dark-brown eyes.

"Oh my God! You've finally woken up!" the woman in the doorway gasped relieved and ran to her side.

"S-Sango..." she responded weakly and tried to push herself using her elbows, but as she did so, a surge of pain shot through her body. "Ite!" she winced and let herself fall back on her futon. "W-what's wrong with me?"

"You have a fractured leg and both your arms are still in the middle of recovery. You shouldn't move too much yet," the taijiya told her.

At first, Kagome had no idea what she was talking about, but when she looked around, she realized that someone was missing.

"Really Kagome, you mustn't scare me like that ever again."

She looked at Sango and followed the movements of her lips as she continued talking, but strangely enough, she couldn't hear what she said anymore as she drowned in her thoughts.

_'I was unconscious all this time...? For how long was I asleep...?'_

The image of Bankotsu in her dreams appeared in her mind, but she shook it off again. _'That's not it...I've seen Bankotsu before that...in the forest...'_ After that, another image popped up. This time, the assassin was standing in the middle of the pouring rain with his large halberd in one of his hands.

Kagome concentrated on the image and waited for her memories to catch up with her again.

:FLASHBACK:

"I know you don't like rain, Kirara, that's why you don't have to come with me this time," she told the fire cat while pulling out two thick black hooded cloaks. "Don't worry, I'm only going to bring him a cloak so I'll be back before you know it."

After pulling the hood over her head, she left with the second cloak secured in her arms.

The thunder that roared through the skies sounded as if it was warning her for the dangers of the tempest, but Kagome was determined to reach her destination. Ignoring the pain of the raindrops, boosted by the vicious winds, hitting her face, she carried on stubbornly.

The forest floor had become muddy and walking over it felt as though you could sink into it if you remained stationary for too long. The rain was the only sound she could hear and a strange eeriness began to crawl up her neck. _'I better make haste before I start hallucinating...'_ she thought and quickened her pace.

Some time later, the clearing came in sight and Kagome stopped near a tree at the border to catch her breath. While she peeked around the trunk, she found the one she was looking for and widened her eyes. _'Bankotsu...!'_ With the heavy storm hovering above them and the rain showering down, he would at least have stayed near the trees for shelter. But there he was, standing in the middle of the open area and welcoming the water. By the rise and fall of his shoulders, she knew he was tired, if not exhausted, yet the expression on his face showed no sign of quitting.

"Shut the hell up!" she heard him cry out and wondered whom he was talking to. Shortly after that, he began to swing his weapon around.

Surprisingly enough, his movements weren't affected by the bad weather and Kagome became mesmerized by his skillful swinging. Back at the fortress, she had attended several training sessions between her father and brother. A small smile formed on her lips as she remembered how she had managed to nag the two dog demons until they finally allowed her to watch them. She also remembered the proud look on Sesshoumaru's face when he had won. Back then, the demon lord told her that it was the first time for him as well to see such an expression on the demon prince's face. He explained that it wasn't the first time that he had won, but even so, he had never showed such pride before.

Now that she thought about it, she had slowly come to realize that although Sesshoumaru had strongly refused her company, deep inside, he actually wanted her to see him fight and win. Knowing that, she was glad she hadn't given up that easily.

_'I wonder who would win if Sesshoumaru onii-sama sparred with Bankotsu...'_ she mused.

Her thoughts were cut off by Bankotsu's voice as he cried out loud. "Heh! As if I would listen to you and stay inside like a helpless fool!"

_'What is he talking about...?'_ she thought puzzled as she watched him slash around furiously. _'Why is he so angry...?'_

After a couple of swings, he lowered his halberd and closed his eyes.

"Even she thinks I'm vulnerable and weak..."

Kagome frowned. _'She...? Is he talking about me?'_

The assassin raised his weapon into the air and looked up to the sky. "Why the hell is everybody looking down on me like that! Chikusho!" he cursed. "Why doesn't she trust me! Damn it all!"

She cringed when Bankotsu sent a large blade of light towards the mountain at the other side of the creek, which created a deafening blast. Her eyes widened at a rumbling sound that became louder and louder and she narrowed her eyes to look at what was causing it.

Terror filled her eyes when she saw a mass of boulders rolling down from the mountain towards the clueless Bankotsu. "Bankotsu!" she cried and dashed into the clearing. By the time she had reached him and pushed him aside, she found herself unable to avoid the large rock that was coming at her and was knocked several meters away from where she was standing.

Before she knew it, she was already half buried by the rubble and mud. With the last bit of her consciousness, she turned to check on Bankotsu, only to find him lying in the mud near a rock with closed eyes and a bloodied face.

:END FLASHBACK:

Kagome snapped out of her thoughts and put her hand on Sango's arm to interrupt her. "Where is he?"

"Woah! You scared the hell out of me Kagome! I thought you were in pain or something!" the taijiya gasped with a shocked expression.

"I'm sorry," she apologized. "but tell me, where is he?"

"He who?"

"Bankotsu! Where's Bankotsu! Did he make it?"

Sango sighed. "You know, you should worry about yourself first before others."

Kagome scowled, sensing that her question was being avoided. "Answer me, Sango."

"Okay okay...he left," was her reply.

"What! What about his injuries?" Kagome said with wide eyes. "I saw a lot of blood on his face before I passed out!"

"It was just a scratch on his forehead. It's nothing compared to what you have."

Kagome held up a hand. "W-wait a minute...why did he leave?"

"Because I told him to," she replied flatly. "We're better off without him, look what he has done to you. As your guardian, I am responsible for your safety, and that Bankotsu is a threat in my eyes."

Not believing what she was hearing, Kagome furrowed her brows. "How is a blind man a threat to my safety?"

"If he listened to me and stayed inside, you wouldn't have to go after him in the storm. If he didn't smash up that mountain, you wouldn't have gotten hurt! He put your life in danger and-"

"No Sango!" she cut her off. "I'M the one who allowed him to train outside while you were away. I decided to bring a cloak to him during the storm. I was the one who decided to push him out of the way and got myself hurt. I'M the one to blame and not Bankotsu!"

Her sudden outburst left her guardian speechless, but it was just for a short while. "He laid his hands on you without my permission, that, I cannot forgive!"

Kagome was surprised to hear this and thought for a moment. Some pieces of her dream came into her mind and she turned to Sango fully. "But he did that to warm up my body...didn't he?"

Seeing the startled look on the taijiya's face, she knew she was right. _'So it wasn't a dream...not completely...I did sleep in Bankotsu's arms...'_ she thought to herself. "Then he had a good reason to do that. How could you send a helpless man away just because he wanted to save me?"

"He's an assassin Kagome, don't forget that!" Sango reminded her. "He's everything BUT helpless!"

"And he's blind!" Kagome snapped back. "He couldn't even jump out of the way when those boulders were coming down at him!" With a deep breath, she composed herself and continued with a calm voice. "You have had a conversation with him when I was sleeping...didn't you?"

"Did he tell you that?" the taijiya put up a disgusted face. "That b-"

"He didn't. I was just guessing," she cut her off. "And I guess I was right."

There was a defeated expression on Sango's face before she confessed. "It's true. I did have a conversation with him while you were asleep."

"What did you say to him?"

"I told him that he was only allowed to stay here because you wanted him to, that I would've kicked him out if he wasn't blind. I also told him that he'd better stay inside the house since he wouldn't be of any help outside. And then I warned him that I would kill him if he put you in danger."

_'I knew it...that explains the strange atmosphere between them lately...'_ Kagome thought inwardly.

Sango let out a deep sigh as she added. "Your brother would kill me if he found out I allowed an assassin to go near you."

Kagome immediately looked at her. "So that's it huh? You were afraid of my brother."

Her guardian narrowed her eyes in displeasure. "You know very well that I'm not that cowardly."

Yes, she knew. It was wrong to think of her that way. After living together for a decade, how could she not know? "Even if you're just following my brother's orders, you shouldn't have sent away a blind person." She shook her head in disproval and tried to get up using her hands and healthy leg.

Sango quickly positioned herself next to her and helped her standing up. "What is it? What do you need? I'll get it for you."

"My cloak," she replied.

"Where are you going?"

"I'm going to look for Bankotsu." Kagome snatched the garment out of her hands before she could refuse. "Or whatever is left of him."

"But that's insane!" the taijiya cried.

"Don't try to stop me Sango!" she spat as she equipped the cloak and shuffled towards the door.

"Hime-sama!"

Kagome halted her step. She knew her guardian was calling her that on purpose to remind her of her identity, but nothing can stop her now. "As the princess of the Western Lands, I order you not to follow me," she commanded haughtily and closed the door behind her.

.-.-.-.

As she slowly wandered through the forest with her fractured leg trailing over the dirt, she pondered about what Sango said and what she heard Bankotsu exclaim in the middle of the storm. Like a puzzle, the pieces began to fall into their places in her mind.

_"I told him that he was only allowed to stay here because you wanted him to, that I would've kicked him out if he wasn't blind. I also told him that he'd better stay inside the house since he wouldn't be of any help outside. And then I warned him that I would kill him if he put you in danger."_

_"If he listened to me and stayed inside, you wouldn't have to go after him in the storm."_

_"Heh! As if I would listen to you and stay inside like a helpless fool!"_

_"Even she thinks I'm vulnerable and weak..."_

After several steps, Kagome already felt extremely tired and took a short break by leaning against a trunk. _'Even...even I find him vulnerable and weak...'_ she rephrased the sentence. _'I told him that he couldn't protect me...'_

_"Why the hell is everybody looking down on me like that! Chikusho! Why doesn't she trust me! Damn it all!"_

_'How could I be so stupid?'_ she scolded herself, realizing how much her words must've hurt his feelings. _'He knew he could be killed if Sango saw him holding me in his arms...yet he still did it to save me...'_ Knowing that, Kagome felt even guiltier than before.

_'I have to apologize to him...'_ she decided and began to walk again, but being deep in thoughts, she failed to concentrate on the path and tripped over a tree root. With a thump, Kagome fell face on onto the grass and dirt. Her thin white kimono was stained with spots brown and green here and there, and she noticed that she wasn't wearing anything around her feet. The truth was, she couldn't feel more miserable.

_'Where am I going to...?'_ she asked herself. She painfully realized that she had no idea of where Bankotsu could be. He could have already left the forest a long time ago, or worse, he could be dead by now.

If he hadn't left today, he would eventually leave when he was completely recovered. After all, he told her so himself. But the funniest thing was...why was it bothering her so much? Was it because she hadn't got a chance to say goodbye? Or maybe because the guilt would be too much if he died, unable to protect himself?

The countless possibilities that were frustrating her mind vanished in an instant when she saw a pair of feet before her face. She slowly looked upwards from the dark leg protectors and widened her eyes when she found Bankotsu looking down at her.

He was smiling. "So you finally decided to watch me train huh?" he said.

_'Train...?'_ Kagome thought bewildered, but before she could speak, Bankotsu already turned his back to her.

"You better hurry, or I'll have finished training before you've even arrived." With that said, he walked away.

Kagome quickly reached out her hand. "Wait Bankotsu! Wai- " She halted in the middle of her yelling when the figure of the assassin began to fade away.

_'It was just...my imagination...'_ she concluded sadly when the image disappeared completely. Tears began to roll down her cheek as she realized how much she missed him and how much she longed for his company. What she would say when she found him, she didn't know. The only thing she was sure of, was that she wanted him back. _'But how am I going to do that if I can't even get up...?'_ she thought with a sob.

Suddenly a small mew sounded from her side and she turned to look over her shoulder.

"Kirara!" she called out relieved.

The fire cat transformed herself into a huge demon and helped her up.

"Thanks," she smiled as she got to her feet again. "Sango sent you huh?"

Somehow, she knew what the cat was probably thinking and she gently patted her head. "Don't worry, I'm not mad at her...I'm only mad at myself for being so weak..."

Right after she said that, Kirara moved to stand in front of her, telling her that she should get onto her back.

"You'll help me?" she asked surprised. A nod was the answer.

Without hesitation, she carefully climbed onto the fire cat's back. _'But where should we begin searching...?'_ she wondered until an idea popped up. _'That vision earlier...could it be true...? Is he really waiting there...?'_

"Kirara, let's go to the clearing where I found Bankotsu," she suggested. "But don't fly too high, since that will draw too much unnecessary attention. Try to stay below the protection of the greenery."

The fire cat acknowledged and set off with her four black paws.

.-.

Before they reached the border of the clearing, Kagome told Kirara to stop. "Thanks Kirara, you're a big help. But I want to do this myself from here on. Can you please return to the house?"

The demon hesitated at first, but eventually complied and flew back.

Of course, Kagome knew about the possibility that Bankotsu might not be there and if that was the case, she would have to go back on her own, but something was telling her that her intuition wasn't wrong. There must be a meaning behind the vision. It was meant to tell her that he was here.

Strangely enough, she found herself standing behind the same tree trunk of the stormy day. She took a deep breath and peeked into the open area.

.-.-.

_'Why am I still here?'_ he wondered in himself. With his hand, he trailed along the hilt of his favorite halberd that was lying on the floor next to him. A couple of hours ago, he had arrived at the clearing where the calamity had taken place the day before. After a lot of searching and digging, he had finally found the large weapon buried beneath the rubble. He could have left by then, but a sudden dizziness took over and he was forced to sit down and lean against one of the large boulders.

_'Yes...the dizziness...'_ he confirmed, but the wavering inside his heart remained. _'...or is there something else...?'_

When he retracted his hand to place it on his stomach, his skin encountered an irregularity on the surface of his sleeve and he moved his hand to examine it. From its texture, he concluded that the unevenness was the creation of thin threads and skillful mending. It was a flawless line that connected two pieces of fabric that were unsightly separated before.

At first, he had chosen to wear the attire and armor that belonged to him, because he didn't want to receive any more favors from Kagome or Sango. But unknowingly, he ended up receiving another favor. The number of the threaded lines was an indication of how horrible his fall must have been back then. And the precision and perfectness of these lines showed with how much care someone had tried to repair his shredded garment. Fortunately, his armor was undamaged, but he had never dreamt that he would be able to wear the same haori and hakama again. There was only one person in his knowledge that would show so much affection unconditionally and be capable of such handiwork.

"Kagome..." he whispered her name.

After what had happened, he had no idea how to face her when she woke up. She would probably curse or scold him for causing her all the pain and suffering but even so, he wanted to stay and hear her voice for the very last time before leaving.

No matter how ridiculous or impossible it might sound, he actually wanted her to appear before him and ask him to go back with her, even if it just to repay all the favors. His departure felt as if he was leaving a large piece of happiness behind and he didn't need someone to tell him that Kagome was the source of that happiness.

Of all the people he had met throughout his life, Kagome was the only one who didn't prejudge him and accepted him as a normal human being instead of a cold-blooded killer. He was truly happy to have met her.

As much as he wanted to say that he'd have no regrets if he died now, he couldn't. He didn't want to be selfish, but he couldn't help it. Besides feeling remorse for his two companions, he would also regret not being able to see Kagome's face before leaving this world. It would be the face of the girl who had the kindest and purest soul of the world.

Unfortunately, luck was not on his side anymore. So he thought as he slowly got up to his feet. _'I should find a safer place to stay the night before the sun sets.'_ he decided inwardly, sensing the gradual drop of temperature.

With his halberd placed over one shoulder, he started walking away from the boulder, until a voice cried out to him.

"Wait! Bankotsu! Wait!"

Bankotsu halted his step as he recognized the voice. _'Kagome?'_ He fought the urge to turn around and quickly shook his head to clear his mind. _'Who am I kidding...? She has a fractured leg...and a pair of injured arms...why would she come here...and more importantly...how?'_

With that thought, he walked into the opposite direction, away from the voice.

"Wait!"

_'Don't listen to it...it's just your imagination...'_ he told himself repeatedly.

Suddenly, he was forced to stand still when two arms wrapped around his waist from behind._ 'W-what the-!'_

"I...I told...you to...wait..." the voice panted into his back.

Bankotsu turned to his side. "K-Kagome...?"

"I-I can't...h-hold on..."

He was alarmed when her grip loosened and he quickly turned around. "Kagome!" He successfully managed to catch her with one arm around her waist and immediately dropped his halberd to support her fully before too much pressure was put on her broken leg. "Kagome! Kagome, are you okay?" he asked worriedly as he lowered himself to the floor with her in his arms.

"I-I'm okay...just...tired," she puffed heavily, trying to catch her breath. "Damn it...why...the hell...were you walking...when I told you...to stop."

"I-I...I thought..." Bankotsu stammered. A mix of emotions was running through his mind and he didn't know what to express first. He was relieved, scared, overjoyed and angry at the same time. "Why are you here? You shouldn't be walking around in your condition!" he said angrily.

"I'm...sorry..."

The apology made it very hard for him to stay angry and he placed his chin on top of her head. "Baka...I'm not asking for your apology..." he sighed. "Your sister is going to kill me for sure if she finds out about this."

"She knows."

Bankotsu blinked several times. "She does?"

"She was there...when I left to search for you," she explained.

"And she just let you go?"

She shook her head and chuckled. "I was unstoppable."

"Really?" he laughed along, until she suddenly became silent. "What's wrong?" he asked.

"I'm so sorry..." she sobbed.

Bankotsu froze and held in his breath. _'She's crying...?' _

"I didn't know...I'm so sorry," she continued. "Sango...she shouldn't have threatened you. When I said you couldn't protect me, I wanted you to realize that you aren't that powerful like you used to be and that you shouldn't underestimate the possible dangers of the forest...but I didn't mean to hurt you, I'm sorry."

With his hand, he found her wet cheek and started wiping away her tears. "Don't cry," he said with a gentle voice. "I should be the one apologizing. You were right to say those words to me; you did it for my sake. You have done a lot for me, yet in return, I have hurt your feelings and I almost got you killed. I should be the one saying sorry, not you."

"Don't say that...I wasn't of any help..." Kagome said with a trembling voice. "I couldn't heal your eyes...I know how you feel...but I wasn't able to do anything to lessen the pain you're experiencing...your frustration..."

The more she blamed herself, the guiltier he felt and instinctively he pulled her closer to him to calm her down. "Stop blaming yourself Kagome..." he said, emphasizing each word. "It's not your fault."

The girl buried her face into his shirt and mumbled something inaudible.

"Kagome?" he asked.

"...don't go..."

He frowned and lowered his face a little to listen more carefully. "What did you say?"

"P-please...don't go..." she sniffed. "...come back with me...to the house..."

Bankotsu widened his eyes. "B-but-"

"I don't care!" she cried. "I just want you to stay by my side!"

For a moment, Bankotsu thought he was dreaming all of this, but the sobbing girl in his arms that clung onto his shirt was the evidence that it was nothing less than the reality.

.-.-.-.

There, she said it. She wanted him to stay. Now, she could only wait for his reaction. Will he laugh at her? She was afraid, but she wanted to know the answer.

Her heart skipped a beat when the chest she was leaning on suddenly moved away from her. "Where are you going?" she asked, while tightening her grip on his shirt and looking up.

"Silly girl, do you think I would let you walk back all by yourself in your current state?" he said as he gently put her down and stood back up. He untied the dark blue sash around his waist and walked to the spot where he had dropped his halberd. With the firm silk, he secured the long weapon onto his back and put a strong knot into it before turning back to her again. Without saying anything, he gathered her up in his arms once again.

Kagome looked up at him and became a bit worried. "Will you be okay? I mean...you can't see the path...it will be harder when you are carrying me. Why don't you put me down? I think I'll be able to walk on my own," she suggested.

The assassin responded by holding her more firmly, showing that he had no intention of letting her go. "I may not be able to see, but _you_ will be my eyes, right?" he said, tilting his head a little.

Kagome blushed deeply and dropped her gaze to her stomach. "I-I guess..."

"Then it's decided," he smiled. "I'm putting my life in your hands now, Kagome, since you'll be the one telling me how to advance forward."

"O-okay," she nodded, feeling a bit awkward at the sudden responsibility.

"Hey girl, don't put too much pressure on yourself," Bankotsu told her reassuringly. "If anything happens, I'll protect you."

Relieved to hear that, she settled her head against his shoulder. "I trust you," she said and focused on the path out of the corner of her eyes. "You can start by walking forward, there's nothing standing in our way for the moment."

And so, they started their trip back to the house. As they slowly walked through the forest, Kagome still pondered about what he said. He promised to escort her back safely, but that didn't mean he would stay...right?

"Bankotsu?"

"Yes?"

"Are you going to leave after you've brought me back?"

The silence that followed her question made the disappointment inside her grow and she dropped her face.

"I guess...it depends on your sister," he suddenly replied.

Kagome wasn't too satisfied with the answer and refused to stop there. "She will listen to my explanation...but do _you_ want to stay?" she asked, emphasizing the 'you' word.

Another silence.

.-.-.

Bankotsu was at a loss for words. _'Why is she asking all these difficult questions...?'_ he thought confused.

He only wanted to concentrate on bringing her back so he shoved away all the emotions he felt earlier, but she was forcing him to dig them up again.

Actually, he was convinced that he had many things to say to her but now that she was so near, he couldn't recall even one of them. He was really happy when she said she trusted him and there was no way he could ignore the fact that holding her like this felt good, if not perfect. Reflecting on what he felt and thought earlier, he knew without doubt that he had wanted to stay, but there was something preventing him from saying it.

_'I'm not going to abandon my mission or my companions...'_ he decided inwardly. _'...but in my condition...I'm pretty sure I will die first before I've even reached the gathering place...'_

"I told you that I will leave once I've recovered...right?" he asked her.

"I know that," she replied.

"I will hold on to that," he stated.

"So you really wanted to stay?"

Bankotsu chuckled inwardly at her persistence. "Yes Kagome." _'More than anything else.' _he added in his thoughts.

.-.-.

She could really jump a hole in the air right now to show how happy she was, but she just smiled instead since she didn't want to fall out of his arms. When she gazed up to his face, she suddenly noticed the resemblance between the current situation and the one she saw in her dreams. _'That's strange...why are they so alike?'_ she wondered. _'Does the dream...also have a meaning?'_

_'I wonder if it'll come true as well...' _she thought as she lowered her flushed face.

"Kagome?"

"Hm?"

"Why are you giggling?"

Kagome widened her eyes and placed her hand on her lips. _'Did I just giggle out loud? Oh man...' _ she smacked herself mentally. "I-it's nothing..." she stammered.

"Nothing on our path?" he asked.

"N-nope."

"That's good."

Unconsciously, she snuggled closer to him. _'If only time flowed a bit slower...we would be able to stay like this for a little longer...'_ she thought hopefully.

She glanced up at Bankotsu with a puzzled expression when he began to slow down his pace and take smaller steps. _'I didn't say that out loud...did I?'_

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**:  
There! How was this chapter? I hope you liked it! I can't help but notice the small number of reviews I got for the last chapter, I hope it wasn't because of its quality. Anyway, please review if you have time left okay? It'll be a big help! Thanks!

Greets,

Kittymui

.-.-.-.

_'Italic'_: thoughts  
"...": spoken words  
-.-.-.-: time gap  
-CAPSLOCKED WORDS-: noises

.-.-.-.

**Next chapter: Chapter XVII**

.-.-.

We'll make a jump in time between this and the next chapter. Kagome and Bankotsu are still a bit uncertain about their feelings towards each other and Sango still hates having Bankotsu around. Will she ever be able to see the good side of him? Find out about it in the next chapter!

.-.-.

**Vocabulary:**

**taijiya:** exterminator  
**ite: **ouch  
**futon:** a traditional light and soft mattress where people sleep on on the floor  
**onii-sama:** a respectful way to refer to your older brother  
**chikusho:** damn it/shit  
**hime-sama:** a respectful way to refer to a princess  
**haori:** a traditional Japanese (upper-body) attire worn by men  
**hakama:** a traditional Japanese pair of pants worn by men  
**baka: **stupid

.-.-.-.

**REPLIES ON REVIEWS:**

**sessywuver:** I'm glad you loved it! I hope you liked this one as well!

**TamiaEternity: **She's just acting protective towards Kagome since she's just like a sister to her. Not to mention that Sesshoumaru would kill her if she fails to protect her.

**Duzzie: **I hope you're satisfied with their reactions :)! About your question. We're reading the book called "A Tale From The Past", which Bankotsu found in that old library, through his eyes right now. So the first chapter is about Bankotsu in the present time finding this book, it also ended with him opening the book and reading the first page. And in the chapters after that, we are reading what he is reading. That's why the "future" Bankotsu is out of view at the moment. Ultimately, he will finish reading the book and we will switch back to the present time again :).

**lady-joker: **Thanks!

**Angel of Darkness and Death:** There! I did it :)! How was it?

**darkenedmoonlightflame: **Thank you :)!

**baka craze: **Thanks! I'm not taking too long to update, am I?

Posted: 8 May 2005  
Last Edited: 8 May 2005  
Spelling check: YES

**DISCLAIMER: **I do not own Inuyasha or any characters of it. And I do not own whatever elements of this story that seem familiar and had already been used by other creative individuals before. But... I do own the idea of mixing all of these elements together into a new story!


	18. Chapter XVII

**A TALE FROM THE PAST**

by Kittymui

**CHAPTER XVII**

"Wake up, you sleepyhead!"

Bankotsu rolled to lie on his back and placed an arm over his eyes. "Let me sleep some more..." he grunted.

"No way! You've slept quite enough! It'll be afternoon soon and you promised to help me!"

He was quite surprised when something heavy landed on top of him. The scent of spring rain that suddenly rushed up to his nose told him that it was Kagome.

"Get up! Get up! Get up!" she ordered as she shook his shoulders.

"All right! All right!" he surrendered. "If you would please get off of me before I'm completely squashed."

With a satisfied 'hmph' , the girl got off of his chest. "I'll go prepare something to eat. You should go wash your face okay?"

Bankotsu sat up and rubbed his eyes. "Got it," he yawned.

.-.-.-.

After a simple meal, both of them went outside.

"Are you sure about this? You have only recently recovered from your injuries," he asked as he heard her pick up her newly acquired bow.

"Yes," was her determined reply. "Now stop worrying about me and tell me what I should do first."

Bankotsu walked closer to her. "The most basic thing to do for you right now is to learn how to draw your bow," he explained.

"How?"

"Euhm...do you mind showing me where your hands are?"

"Sure!" she replied and pulled him closer until his chest and her back touched. From a distance, it looked as though he was embracing her from behind.

Bankotsu blushed slightly at the sudden contact, but shook it off again. "Hold your bow like this," he said while guiding her hand that was holding the grip of the wooden bow. "If you're drawing and arrow, you should hold the string at its center."

"Try pulling it as if you're drawing an arrow."

"Okay," she nodded and did as she was told. With his hand still on hers to follow her movements, she pulled at the string and released it.

"How was that?"

"You're not pulling it back far enough," he told her and guided her hand to the string once again. "You should pull it as far back as your face. Like this." With his index- and forefinger he pulled back the string until their hands were near her ear. "See?"

As he showed her, he couldn't help but think how perfectly she fitted inside his quasi-embrace. If only he could hold her like this for real and not just during training.

"Bankotsu...?"

Her voice made him snap out of it. "What...? Oh...sorry," he apologized and let go of both her hands. "You can practice drawing the string. I'll be right behind you."

"Okay."

Bankotsu took a step backwards and took a deep breath. _'Pfew...'_ he puffed inwardly as he slightly pulled at the collar of his shirt. _'Is it just me or has it become warmer by the minute?'_

The sound of the reciprocating string and Kagome's scent that lingered around him reminded him of the day he carried her back to the house. Even today, he could still feel her body close to him.

Back then, he remembered the taijiya rushing towards the girl in his arms and holding her tightly as if she could slip away through her arms any moment. Without any apologies, she scolded Kagome for her irrational behavior and at the same time also begged her never to scare her like that again, but Bankotsu knew she was just being worried.

Ultimately, thanks to Kagome's persuasiveness, he was allowed to stay until he completely recovered. Nothing was said about forgiving and forgetting what he had done to Kagome, and Sango was still openly showing how negatively she thought about him, but he didn't mind. Being able to stay with Kagome was all that mattered to him.

The Spring season had already taken a step back and made way for Summer and according to Kagome, everyday would be a sunny day until Autumn arrives. With a sigh he raised his face up to the sky and closed his eyes. A small smile formed on his lips as he recalled asking the girl about the change of season some time ago. He was astounded when she replied not having noticed the arrival of the warm season until he mentioned it. After experiencing the same routine each year for so long, it was not unusual to lose the track of time sometimes.

However, to someone who had been living in the Northern Lands before like himself, there was no way he could've missed it. Back then, preparing yourself for the next season was a crucial task if you strived to survive, especially when it involves the Winter season. That's why a slight increase or decrease of the overall temperature wouldn't pass him by unnoticed. It was funny...while he prayed for the rain to stop back in the North, he hoped for more rainy days here.

His train of thoughts ended when he sensed a small draft coming from the front.

"Hm? Tired?" he asked, knowing it was Kagome.

"Y-yeah," she huffed in reply. "I never thought drawing a bow could be so exhausting."

Bankotsu chuckled. "Wait until you actually have to aim and steady an arrow at the same time."

"You can't scare me off with that," she argued. "You know what? I think I want to learn with real arrow right now."

"I know you're eager to learn and master archery, but that's impossible in one day. It takes experience and time," he told her. "Not to mention you could easily damage the arrows your sister bought for you that way. You wouldn't want that, would you?"

"All right, you win," she gave in.

"Good. Now that you're tired, shall we call it a day?"

"Are you going to train?"

He nodded. "Are you coming with me this time?"

"I don't know...the last time I went to watch you almost got me killed."

A flash of guilt shot through Bankotsu's heart as he heard that and he dropped his face. "That was because I didn-"

"I know I know! I was just joking!" she cut him off with a laugh.

"Kagome, nearly losing your life isn't something you can laugh about! I really didn't know you were there. I-"

This time, he was interrupted by her fingers on his lips. The astonishment faded away as he realized how soft they were and he fought the urge to lean onto them and kiss them.

"I'm sorry...I shouldn't have said that," she apologized with a soft voice. "But I want you to know that not a single inch of my heart blames you or thinks you're responsible. It was just an accident."

Bankotsu took her hand in his and squeezed it gently. "I swear, I will never let something like that happen again," he said with a serious face. "As long as I'm here, I won't let you get hurt."

"I believe in you," she smiled warmly. "That's why I'll go with you this time, but let me prepare myself first okay?"

While she ran into the house, Bankotsu went to get his halberd, which was resting against one of the thick trees nearby. "Kirara, you'll be coming as well, right?" he called out. The fire cat jumped out of nowhere to land onto his shoulder and let out a 'mew'.

At the same time, Kagome returned to his side. "Ready!"

"Let's go then," he said and together, they left for the usual training area.

.-.-.-.

While they were walking, Kagome gazed at her hand and shifted her eyes to peek at Bankotsu. Redness flushed her cheeks as she thought how warm his hand was when it was wrapped around hers.

Just like earlier, a strange sensation began to rise in her chest and her heart started to beat faster than usual. _'What is this feeling...?'_ she wondered nervously, placing her hand on her chest. It wasn't the first time that he made her feel strange, but back then, she though she was just being nervous and didn't pay it any attention. What she felt now, however, was much stronger and more intense. So strong that she knew it wasn't mere nervousness, and so intense that it felt rather...nice.

It was different than being held by her parents or Sesshoumaru, but she wasn't sure in what way. What she did know was she wanted to be held by him at any time of the day, listening to his calm heartbeat.

She let out an inaudible sigh. _'Stop daydreaming Kagome...you don't even know how he feels towards you...'_ she told herself inwardly and concentrated on the road. _'It could be that he only thinks of you as his baby sister. Maybe he's just being nice because you saved his life, no more, no less.' _

_'True...'_ she thought and smiled sadly. _'I guess I'll just enjoy his company for as long as it lasts.'_

She couldn't possibly hope for him to stay blind forever. Not only would it be too unfair to the assassin, it would also be too immoral to even have such a thought.

.-. later .-.

Upon arrival, Kagome was quite surprised at the sight of the clearing. The once open and flat field, was now filled with rocks of different sizes. The creek had found itself a new detour around the boulders that were blocking its way and the brown muddy earth was carpeted with fresh green lawn.

The catastrophe had clearly caused a metamorphosis, but strangely enough, the landscape didn't look any less natural than before.

"You can sit down on a rock near the border." Bankotsu's voice cut off her thoughts.

She nodded in reply and plucked Kirara from his shoulder. "But won't those rocks obscure your movements?" she asked him worriedly as she sat down.

"Quite the contrary," he replied casually. "The more obstacles, the better the exercise."

With that, he jumped into the air and landed on top of a rock at the center of the open area.

Kagome's eyes followed him as he leaped from one rocky surface to another faultlessly and put Kirara to sit next to her. She pulled her journal and some writing tools from her sleeve and started flipping to a clear page.

As she placed the carbon on the paper surface, an artistic idea suddenly popped up and she shifted her attention to the training assassin. As soon as she caught one of the best poses, she quickly began to sketch down the primary lines before the image faded away from her mind. Keeping the location of the source of light in mind, she carefully added some depth to the drawing and then, she began to fill in the small details.

When she was finished, she straightened up and cast a downward gaze at her work.

It was a grayscale image of Bankotsu on a boulder, single-handedly holding Banryuu beside him with its blade pointing straight at something before him. By his slightly bowed position, the assassin looked as if he was ready to lunge forward at an invisible opponent. Although it would be followed by an offensive movement, there was nothing but calmness written on his face. An unknown breeze had lifted some of his short bangs and his long thin braid into the air behind his back. Also, instead of the simple white outfit he was wearing at the moment, she made him wear his original attire and armor in the drawing. On the background, there was the broken mountain and the creek, drawn much smaller than Bankotsu to illustrate the distance.

_'Perfect!'_ she complimented herself.

Suddenly, she noticed the quietness around her and looked up from her artwork. _'Huh? Where did he go...?'_ she thought puzzled when the assassin was nowhere to be found in the clearing.

"What are you drawing?" A voice asked from right next to her ear.

Kagome almost jumped up of shock and turned to look aside, only to find Bankotsu standing right behind her with his face lowered to look over her shoulder. She blushed when she realized that his face only a breath away from hers and quickly averted her gaze. "I...I-I was just..." she stammered, trying to come up with a credible answer. "...drawing the nature..."

"Really?"

"Y-yes." Kagome blushed deeper shades of red when the assassin lowered his face even more, as if he was checking if she had told the truth.

"Hmm, too bad I can't see it. I'm sure your drawing skill would amaze me just like your cooking and mending did," he pouted and straightened up.

"Thank you," Kagome smiled awkwardly and stood up as well. "I think it's time for us to head back, since Sango will be returning soon."

"All right," he agreed and placed his halberd on one of his shoulders. "I'd like to call it a day for myself as well."

.-. later that night .-.

"That's strange..." Kagome mumbled to herself as she finished drying the dishes.

Bankotsu stopped playing with Kirara and turned to her. "What is it?"

"Sango...she's late," she responded. Normally, they'd wait for her before having dinner, but after waiting a while Kagome decided that they should eat first and save a portion for her when she comes back.

Several hours have passed since then and something was telling her that it wasn't just another late night.

"You want to search for her?" Bankotsu asked, noticing the worry in her voice.

"Yes, but how? We don't know where she is right now," Kagome reasoned aloud, but as soon as she said that she darted her eyes to Kirara. "No wait! Kirara can help us. She knows Sango's scent, so she'll be able to sniff her out and lead us to her."

Bankotsu stood up and raised a brow. "Wait a minute...'us'? You're not planning to come along, do you?"

"Of course I am!" she said determinedly. "Don't worry about me, I'll be bringing my bow and arrows so I can defend myself. I might even learn more from real action than just practicing!"

He scowled and raised his voice a bit. "Kagome! This isn't a game! This is serious! It could be dangerous!"

"I know that!" she cried, which startled the assassin. Her voice trembled as she continued. "I know that...that's why I want to go too...I'm worried about Sango..."

Bankotsu sighed. _'There's no time for arguing right now...'_ he decided inwardly. "Look, you can come along, but I want you to promise me that you'll go back with Kirara when it gets dangerous."

"B-but..."

"Promise me Kagome," he repeated. "With your current level, you won't be able to defend yourself properly. You might even get hurt and I don't want that."

There was a short silence, but eventually Kagome nodded. "I promise," she said.

"Good. Let's prepare ourselves first," Bankotsu suggested.

He quickly slipped into his clothes and armor and equipped the arm and leg protectors that the taijiya had bought for him under Kagome's orders. As he grabbed the hilt of his halberd, he prayed inwardly that he wouldn't have to use it. With Kirara right behind him, he exited the house and waited for Kagome outside.

Before she went outside, Kagome attached the quiver with arrows to her back and carried the bow around one of her shoulders. Despite the promise, she was determined not to get into Bankotsu's way when retreat is out of question.

When she arrived outside, Kirara had already transformed with Bankotsu sitting on her back. After she mounted right behind him, they entered the forest to search for Sango.

.-.-.-.

They were flying calmly through the shadows of the trees at first until Kirara suddenly started to growl and increased her speed towards a particular direction.

"What's wrong Kirara? Have you found her?" Bankotsu asked.

The fire cat growled in reply.

Judging from the anger in her growl, he knew she had no intention of stopping and grabbed her fur to get her attention. "Stop Kirara! Stop!" he ordered.

The demon growled in protest but eventually lowered her pace and landed on the ground.

Bankotsu dismounted the creature and petted the spot on her back that he had been pulling so roughly. "I'm sorry. I know you want to rescue your mistress but can you take Kagome home first? Leave Sango to me, okay?"

"But Bankotsu! I want to help too!" Kagome protested.

He turned to her and frowned. "You promised, Kagome. I won't allow you to stay here," he stated. "Now go!"

Not giving her a chance to dismount as well, he softly ordered Kirara to fly higher on the way back.

He tightened his grip on Banryuu's hilt as he watched them disappear into the night and then he started dashing into the opposite direction. _'Don't worry Kagome...I will bring Sango back to you...alive...'_ he promised inwardly.

Miraculously, he managed to avoid the trees while running. It was as though the forest was helping him and guiding him to his destination safely.

Bankotsu became alarmed when a cracking sound echoed through the trees from the direction he was running into. Without a moment to waste, he quickened his pace and hoped inside that he would make it in time.

.-.

"Give it up, you're no match for me."

"A-all those villagers you killed...I must...avenge them..."

Bankotsu immediately stopped running and went into stealth mode when he caught some voices. _'That's Sango's voice...she sounds injured...'_ he concluded and tried to pinpoint their exact location by their voices.

"Don't be so conceited. What can a human girl like you accomplish?" the demon snarled. "Besides, I've been locked up in that mountain for far too long, can you even blame me for being hungry after all those years?"

"Feeding yourself with defenseless humans huh? You're not only pathetic...but also weak..."

"Mind your tongue woman! What I decide to have for lunch is none of your business!"

Bankotsu widened his eyes. _'Mountain...? No...it couldn't be...'_

"But don't fret, I'll be having a taijiya for dinner, how's that for a compensation?"

"Urgh...you disgust me..."

"And you look tastier when you're angry. Too bad you can't run right now, because I'm used to chasing my prey around before eating them. Oh well, I'll just devour you with as much pleasure as I had this afternoon."

Noticing the danger Sango was in, Bankotsu approached them quietly while readying his weapon. He swiftly jumped into the air and launched himself towards where the demon should be standing with his halberd raised.

When he landed on the grass without hitting something, he knew the enemy had jumped away and he turned to where another landing sounded.

"Ha! You missed!"

"You! What are you doing here!"

The second voice belonged to the dumbfounded taijiya.

Bankotsu straightened up and readied Banryuu again. "Isn't it obvious? I'm here to prevent you from being someone's dinner," he replied flatly.

"I don't need your protection! Where's Kagome?" she argued.

"She's back at the house. Kirara's with her, don't worry," he reassured her.

Suddenly the demon began to laugh. "Today's really my lucky day! I think my dinner just multiplied by four."

The assassin shot him a death-glare. "Don't bet on it," he snarled angrily. "As long as there's life in this body, you won't be able to lay a claw on Kagome!"

"Ooooh, I'm scared!" the demon mocked. "On second thought, I think I'll torture that Kagome first."

This definitely hit a nerve, but Bankotsu decided to suppress his anger for a little while longer and spun his head aside to Sango. "Mind filling me in about the situation first?"

The taijiya groaned. "So much for protecting me when you can't even see our enemy."

"Stop complaining and start explaining if you don't want to die woman!" he snapped.

"We're facing a very ugly lizard demon here with a very good appetite. Apparently he was locked inside a mountain before, but now that a moron has freed him, he's been responsible for the disappearance of many travelers and villagers. A village I passed on my way back this evening desperately asked for my help, so I decided to lend a hand. Shortly after that, I found the creature, but we've been fighting ever since," she told him. "Until a couple of minutes ago, the bastard managed to get me pinned and then...you arrived."

"Okay...now tell me something I need to know..." he responded impatiently.

"If you're talking about the lizard, he's slightly taller than you are. His primary weapon is a large two-handed blade and-"

The abrupt interruption caught his attention and Bankotsu knew something was amiss. In the next second, he caught a sudden movement towards the taijiya and he quickly jumped in between with his halberd.

CLASH

"Nice try lizard, but your opponent is _me_!" he spat as he pushed back the demon with ease and turned to Sango again. "Who told you to stop! Keep talking!"

"Watch out for his tail!" she warned.

At that moment, something suddenly hit Bankotsu from the side and sent him crashing towards a tree.

"Arck!" he cried out in pain and fell onto the grass with a thud. "Got that...thanks...anything more...?" he grunted as he felt a trail of warm liquid traveling from the corner of his lips to his chin.

"He's got a tough skin, but he also carries two old scars on his body. I'm pretty sure those are his weak spots."

"Wench! I'll kill you before you can utter another word!" the demon hissed.

His ears twitched at another swift movement towards a known target and he dashed forward to block the path.

CLASH

"Damn it...are you deaf or something? I thought I already told you who your opponent was," he complained. "And why are you so angry? The woman is right about your scars...isn't she?"

The lizard grinned. "Heh! What if she is?" he chuckled. "As if you would be able to reopen them with your halberd."

This time Bankotsu grinned. "Thanks for telling me what to do."

"Your arrogance will be your death!"

"You can't win me with mere strength, demon," Bankotsu chuckled and pushed the lizard back for the second time.

"Then let's try this shall we!"

Bankotsu was caught off guard when his eyes suddenly began to sting. "You cunning bastard!" he cried as he rubbed his eyes. The enemy was cunning enough to use sand to gain the upperhand in the battle.

CLASH

"What the! How!"

Bankotsu smirked. "Since I'm already blind, my other senses are sharper than any other human," he told the demon as he blinked the last bit of dirt out of his eyes and turned to Sango. "I'm tired of all this pushing Sango! Tell me the exact locations of his scars!"

"One of the scars is located at the spot where his tail and his body connects and the other one is at his left shoulder!" she yelled in reply.

"All right!" he smiled and pushed back the lizard with all his might. The 'thump' that followed told him that the demon had fallen to the ground and he quickly jumped forward to stand on top of the thick tail. "I'll be taking your tail now."

In a split second, he raised Banryuu into the air and thrust it into the junction that Sango told him about.

"AAAARRGHHHH!" the lizard cried and recoiled in pain.

Bankotsu backed away and created some distance between him and his opponent.

After some twisting and turning on the grass, the demon finally calmed down. "GRRRRR..." he grumbled and slowly pushed himself back to his feet.

Like a mad animal, he lunged forward with his blade first. "DIE!" he cried.

From the infrequent footsteps, Bankotsu knew the lizard had lost his balance because of the missing tail and easily dodged the incoming attack. However, since the demon had become berserk of the pain, he reminded himself to avoid being directly hit. From experience, he knew the attacks of a berserk animal would be twice as aggressive and a demon wouldn't be an exception.

When the growl suddenly turned into an evil chuckle, Bankotsu tightened his grip on Banryuu. "What's so funny?" he asked, not letting his guard down.

"Hehehehehe, you are smart...and strong...I'm sure your friend there behind you is smart as well," he complimented. "But someone here is obviously too stupid to believe that a puny little arrow will be able to defeat me."

_'Arrow...?'_ Bankotsu frowned but when he caught the sound of a tensing string nearby, he widened his eyes. "Kagome! Stop! Run away!" he yelled. Inside, he prayed he was wrong, but the voice that replied took all the hope away.

"Bankotsu! Take Sango and go! I'll distract him!"

He turned back to the lizard as he spoke. "It's time for you to pay the price for taking my tail..." And he dashed into the direction of Kagome's voice.

"Oh no, you don't!" he cried and ran after him. With his halberd, he slashed at the demon and tried to stop him. "Run away Kagome! Now!" he yelled at the same time.

The sound of an arrow sliced through the air and was shortly followed by a painful cry of the lizard.

There was no doubt that the arrow had successfully hit the scar on the lizard's left shoulder. This surprised Bankotsu very much, but unfortunately he had no time to react, since the demon was still running towards Kagome with full speed.

Not being able to come up with a better solution, he threw his halberd with all his might at the lizard.

Having an open wound at his back, the demon was easily pierced by Banryuu's sharp blade and he collapsed to the floor with a loud thump.

Bankotsu wanted to let out a relieved sigh, but then he heard something very alarming.

"I...I-I'll take...your girl...with me..." the lizard groaned and with the last bit of his strength he threw his large blade towards Kagome.

_'Shit!'_ Bankotsu cursed inwardly and quickened his pace instead of slowing down. "Kagome!"

He wrapped his arms around her body and jumped out of the way, but his timing was a bit slow, which allowed the flying weapon to create a gash on his upper arm before they both fell onto the grass.

"Kagome!"

It was Sango who cried.

Bankotsu slowly pushed himself up from the grass. "K-Kagome?" he called as he placed a finger below her nose. His body relaxed again when he realized that the girl had only fainted.

_'Thank goodness...'_ he thought relieved.

.-.-.-.

"Why didn't you finish him off right after you took his tail?"

The question came from Sango, who was riding on Kirara's back. They were walking next to Bankotsu, who was carrying the fainted Kagome in his arms and his large halberd on his back.

"I knew the pain would drive him mad. I wanted him to suffer for all the people he killed," he said without emotion. "I'm sure his victims were experiencing the same madness and agony when he toyed with them."

"Heh! I wonder what kind of death you'll have to experience when you're atoning for _your_ sins," she retorted.

"Shut up!" he snapped back. "I didn't save you to listen to your preaching."

"If you can't stand my complaining, why don't you just leave me behind?" she spat. "Why did you even bother saving _me_ in the first place!"

"Because this is something I started, so I should be the one finishing it."

"What do you mean?"

Bankotsu turned to her. "The moron who wrecked the mountain and set this demon free..." he explained. "...was me."

"What! You?"

"Yes," he nodded. "The mountain I blew up on that stormy day was most likely the one where the lizard was sealed in."

"So you were responsible for all this mess? All these...victims!"

Bankotsu dropped his face a little, realizing that _he _was the ultimate cause for the deaths of all those villagers and travelers.

_'I'm sorry...'_ Were the words he had wanted to utter, but he knew more than anybody else that they don't hold any meaning when they came from an assassin's lips.

At that moment, he felt Kagome snuggling closer to him, and somehow it created a wave of comfort that eased his mind. Now that he thought about it, even someone like Sango, who despised him the most, managed to suppress her hatred and bandage his injured arm a moment ago. Could something trivial like that be the beginning of his atonement?

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**:  
I'm sorry for taking so long to update. My internet was down for some time and internship is taking up most of my time during the weekdays. I hope it was worth the wait. I'll try to update a bit sooner next time!

Greets,

Kittymui

.-.-.-.

_'Italic'_: thoughts  
"...": spoken words  
.-.-.-.-.: time gap  
-CAPSLOCKED WORDS-: noises

.-.-.-.

**Next chapter: Chapter XVIII**

.-.-.

Yay! Sango is beginning to forgive Bankotsu! Our two main characters are starting to accept their feelings for each other! We'll be seeing more of that in the next chapter! Be sure to read it okay?

.-.-.

**Vocabulary:**

**taijiya: **exterminator

.-.-.-.

**REPLIES ON REVIEWS:**

**Sirayme: **Glad you enjoyed it :)! I don't really expect readers to review every chapter, so it's okay!

**Skitzoflame: **Thanks!

**Wake-Robin: **Thank you! I'm happy to hear you liked it! Hahaha, well that's an interesting question, I guess I'll just let you readers decided whether she had said it aloud or they shared the same thought :).

**sessywuver: **Thanks! We will be going back to the future eventually (i.e. back to the present Bankotsu), but not now...I think it will take another 5 chapters or so.

**darkenedmoonlightflame: **I'm glad you liked the previous chapter, I had fun writing it :) (though it took me some time). Hahahaha I'll have to agree with you that I'm more a drama person than comedy person, maybe it's in my character, can't really explain why :). Sometimes I even wonder if I'm not overdoing it with the characters' personalities, what do you think?

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**BelleDayNight**: Thank you very much :)! I enjoyed writing it hehehe. Hahaha, I guess you don't have to worry about them falling in love in the past (especially after this chapter). As for the current time line...just wait and see ne?

**sesshomaruobsessed: **Happy to hear you loved it! I think this chapter answered one of your questions right? You'll just have to wait until the next chapters answer the other ones :).

**Cry fling tail:** Love you too :)! Thanks for reviewing!

**C4n4di4n-G1r1535: **Thanks! Yeah, I agree with you that there should be more Bankotsu/Kagome stories :), but I'm already happy to be able to contribute to that!

**aNiMaAyAnGeL:** Thank you! I'm so happy to hear that, it's very encouraging :).

**baka craze:** Sorry for the late update :). Hope you liked this chapter too!

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Posted: 23 May 2005  
Last Edited: 23 May 2005  
Spelling check: YES

**DISCLAIMER: **I do not own Inuyasha or any characters of it. And I do not own whatever elements of this story that seem familiar and had already been used by other creative individuals before. But... I do own the idea of mixing all of these elements together into a new story!


	19. Chapter XVIII

**A TALE FROM THE PAST**

by Kittymui-

**CHAPTER XVIII**

Kagome's eyes fluttered open with the sun on her face. She blinked and waited for her vision to sharpen before slowly pushing herself up. It was then that she noticed that her upper arm was bandaged underneath her thin white sleeve. _'W-what happened...?'_ she wondered and just when some images began to form in her head, a soft voice made her snap out of it.

"Kagome?"

She turned to the voice and found Bankotsu sitting against the wall not very far away from her. He had taken off his armor and limb protectors and was only wearing his white haori and hakama. His eyes were hazy and unfocused but unmistakably pointed at her direction.

He held his forefinger against his lips, signaling that she should keep her voice as low as possible and pointed at something behind her.

Kagome followed the direction of his finger until she saw Sango sleeping on the floor at the other end of the house. At the sight of Kirara, who was sleeping next to her mistress, she suddenly remembered what had happened and turned back to Bankotsu. "How is she?" she whispered.

"She's fine. She's got a sprained ankle and some bruises, that's all," he replied reassuringly as he got up and made his way towards her.

Kagome wanted to let out a relieved sigh, but a sudden wave of fatigue forced her to yawn instead. "How long have I slept?" she asked, rubbing her eyes.

"From the moment you fainted...I think about nine hours."

Kagome noticed the tired look on his face as he sat down next to her. "And you?" she asked with a worried tone.

"To be honest with you, I barely slept," he responded casually. "But don't worry, I'm okay."

"No you're not," she scowled. "You should be exhausted of the fight...why didn't you sl-"

Her sentence stopped halfway when Bankotsu suddenly pulled her into his arms.

The sudden embrace startled Kagome. "B-Bankotsu?"

"I swore to protect you. You promised that you would go back to the house...why did you break your promise?" he said with a slightly raised voice. "Why did you come back...why didn't you let me keep my promise?"

Kagome tried to pull back but realized that his grip was too firm. "I killed the demon, didn't I? Despite my inexperience with archery," she said while struggling. "The arrow-"

"Stop that!" he cut her off angrily, which made her quit her movements. "You could have gotten hurt back there, why can't you realize that! You..." His voice noticeably weakened and became frustrated as he continued. "...you could have...died..."

Kagome became silent as the frustration in his voice overshadowed her will to argue and she placed a hand on the arm that was looped around her waist. "I ended up unharmed...didn't I?" she told him with a softer voice.

Though they were words of comfort, they only made his embrace tighter than before.

.-.-.

While Kagome was asleep, Bankotsu just couldn't forget about what happened back in the forest. The scene where the lizard threw his blade towards her kept replaying in his mind and every time he thought about it, his palms became sweaty and his heart began to beat like hell. He just couldn't help but think that had he been delayed by several seconds, the girl would probably have died or severely injured. Those possible seconds kept tormenting his mind and interrupting a good rest for the past hours.

He let out a heavy sigh as he placed his chin on top of her head. Strangely enough, holding her like this seemed to be the remedy for easing his mind.

After he calmed down a bit, he finally parted his lips to speak.

"When we both landed on the floor...for a moment...I thought I was too late..." His voice faltered at the end of the sentence and he swallowed hard. "I don't ever want to experience that again..."

Silence fell between the two until the girl in his arms started to shift. Bankotsu was surprised when he felt her wrapping her arms around him and hugging him back.

"I'm sorry," she apologized, placing her head against his chest. "I didn't mean to scare you like that...but I just couldn't leave you...and let you fight alone..."

"Why?" he asked, suddenly feeling very disappointed. "Don't you trust me?"

She pulled back a little and shook her head. "I do trust you," she whispered. " I knew without doubt that you would be able to rescue Sango."

Bankotsu became more confused by the second. "Then why?"

"I was afraid..."

He raised a brow. "Of what?"

"I-I don't know..."

Bankotsu suppressed a grunt of frustration, but the word 'upset' was written all over his face. Maybe it was the lack of sleep, because he didn't understand one bit of what the girl was trying to say. Just when he was about to let go of her, her hands suddenly clasped onto his haori to stop him.

"I didn't mean to confuse you like this...but...I...with you...being held by you this way give me a strange feeling from within..." she explained hastily, trying her best to make sense. "It's something I've never felt before...that's why I'm not sure what it is...but in some way...it makes me feel safe. I don't know when I started to like this feeling, but now that I've found it...I don't want to lose it..."

He knew she was looking at him as he could practically feel her eyes on him and he knew she was expecting a response, but the truth is, he was too surprised to respond. She was confessing her feelings to him, feelings that he had so determinedly decided to suppress before.

"When you left without a word that day..." she suddenly continued. "...it felt as if someone had torn something away from me inside...and when you told me to leave yesterday...I felt the same pain and became afraid...afraid that you might leave again after you've saved Sango...or-"

"Shhh..." he hushed her gently and ran a hand through her silky hair to calm her. "I understand Kagome...you don't have to say anything anymore..."

He knew what she was talking about. What she felt back then was somehow equivalent to the strange feeling that made him wait on that same day. The emptiness that consumed his heart when he thought of leaving her, the relief and joy that overflowed his mind when she came for him despite her injury and the fear that tormented him when that blade was flying towards her. As much as he wanted to say that he completely understood what that all meant, he had to admit that it was all new to him as well. Until now, he didn't really have the time or chance to ponder about such complicated feelings. All that mattered were the missions and the means to survival.

As an assassin, he was always well prepared and ready for all sorts of situations and when enough information was gathered, he would act swiftly, accurately and mercilessly. But right now, he felt as if he had lost all those experience and knowledge. It was all too sudden and he knew he had to figure it out. He just hoped that she wouldn't demand an answer right now.

.-.-.

Kagome didn't know what he had meant by that nor did she know what he would do, but no matter what the answer would be, she would wait patiently. Although she wasn't sure if he truly understood, she was still very happy that he listened to her despite his frustration.

Aside from reuniting with her family, being with Bankotsu was something she wished for more than anything else. If only she knew what he was thinking right now.

Suddenly, the sound of a clearing throat made her snap out of it. She turned to the sound, only to find Sango fully awake and looking at them. "S-Sango!" she gasped.

She and Bankotsu flinched and immediately created some distance between them. Kagome shifted some strand behind her ears and peeked at Bankotsu out of the corner of her eyes. When she saw the red color on his cheeks, she began to blush as well and averted her gaze.

The taijiya yawned and sat up. "It's quite hard not to wake up with the two of you talking that loud..." she complained.

Kagome turned to look at Bankotsu when he stood up. "Uhm...I think I'll go outside to get some fresh air," he excused himself and left the two of them alone in the house.

She watched him close the door behind him and quickly scooted over the floor to Sango. "When did you start listening?" she asked nervously.

"Euh...I guess that would be from the moment I heard you calling his name..." she responded dully.

Kagome widened her eyes. "What!" _'Oh my God...she followed our conversation from the very beginning...!'_ she thought shocked. She was so embarrassed that she could practically sink into the floor right now. If there was a hole nearby, she would definitely hide herself in it.

"Geez Kagome, get a hold of yourself," Sango's voice cut off her thoughts.

Kagome shook of the uneasiness and turned to her.

"What? Something on my face?"

She took a closer look at Sango's face. "You aren't...angry...?"

The taijiya folded her arms together. "Well now that you ask...I wasn't too fond at the sight of him holding you close to him like that, but I guess I'll let it slide this time..."

Kagome blushed and let her gaze fall down to her knees.

"Do you know what you're doing Kagome?" Sango asked with a serious tone.

Kagome tilted her head. "What are you talking about?"

"Don't tell me that you didn't realize what is happening to you," she said disbelievingly, but refrained herself from exclaiming the next sentence out loud. "Kagome, you're falling in love with an assassin."

Startled by her guardian's statement, Kagome widened her eyes in puzzlement.

"You knew it would be dangerous, yet you still decided to injure yourself by jumping off of Kirara's back in order to join Bankotsu in battle. You refused to run away when he told you to. Instead of that, you stayed and nearly got yourself killed," she retold her the situation. "If you don't feel anything for him, I would think that you're crazy."

This sent the Kagome into thoughts. Maybe she was in love with the man, but the question is...would her feelings be returned? She realized sadly that it was no use thinking about it and turned back to Sango. "I doubt that my feelings would be returned though..." she smiled awkwardly. "He once told me that he would leave once he has recovered."

"Then why did you choose to tell him about your feelings?" Sango asked.

"I was thinking..." she began. "...that I'd never find out if I didn't take the first step...that's why I decided to tell him."

"I see."

Kagome furrowed her brows together when she noticed something unusual in Sango's tone of speech. "Is it just me or did you sound less disgusted when you were talking about Bankotsu?" she asked.

The question took the taijiya by surprise and she averted her gaze. "I don't know what you're talking about. I'm just tired, that's all."

"Be honest to me Sango," Kagome commanded.

Sango rolled her eyes annoyed, but with a princess ordering her, she had no choice but to obey. "I'm still angry at him for what he did to you, if that's what you're asking."

Kagome narrowed her eyes in suspicion. "You know what I'm talking about."

"All right! All right!" Sango gave up. "I admit it...I was too hasty in making prejudgments about him."

"Why do you say that?"

"The expression on his face when he was running towards you told me that he was determined to save you from the flying blade, even if it would cost his life," she told her. "For an assassin, I guess he also knows how to save people instead of killing them."

"Of course he does, he's also human," Kagome reasoned.

Sango dropped her face and took a deep breath. "I blamed him for the deaths of all those villagers the lizard killed," she confessed after a moment of silence.

Kagome widened her eyes in disbelief. "Why?"

"The demon was sealed inside the mountain until he decided to break it," the taijiya explained. "A lot of villagers were killed because of that."

"He was only venting his anger back then," she defended. "He didn't know there was a demon inside the mountain."

"I know Kagome," she said with a voice full of guilt. "I thought would feel better after blaming someone for it, but the sorrowful expression on his face told me I was wrong."

Kagome's eyes softened as she placed a hand on hers. "He saved your life Sango, despite the things you said or thought of him. He's the reason that we can talk like this today. Knowing this...can you no persuade a part of you to forgive him?"

"I...don't know..." Sango hesitated. "...it'll only be a small part you know..."

Kagome smiled. "A small part will do..."

"I don't intend to forgive him completely, mind you," she argued, eventually forming a small smile on her lips. "but...for your sake...I will try to get along."

Kagome returned a smile. "Thank you."

A hush fell between the princess and her guardian.

"You...care a lot for him...don't you?" Sango asked after a while.

"I do."

"Are you sure about this? He doesn't know about your...true identity...does he?"

Kagome shook her head. "There's no need for him to know."

The taijiya was surprised to hear this. "But what if you're summoned back?"

"What if I'll never be summoned back?" she reasoned. "Besides, I don't even know how he feels about me. If he really cares for me, then it wouldn't be because of my identity, would it? It's better left unsaid."

"You sound like you've lost all hope to be able to return to the fortress again."

Kagome turned to her and smiled sadly. "You're wrong Sango. I've never lost that hope. Even today, I keep hoping that I would be able to see my family again, but it's just too uncertain..."

"But don't worry...I'm sure I'll be able to make the correct decisions when the time comes," she added confidently.

"If you say so," her guardian sighed. "Just remember that I'll always support you whatever you decide, okay?"

She nodded. "Thank you."

"Instead of thanking me, why don't you check up on him?" Sango suggested. "I think he's getting lonely out there on his own."

Kagome smiled. "I'll do that."

.-.-. meanwhile .-.-.

"Prepare yourself, I'm going to get serious this time."

Inuyasha smirked. "I thought you'd never say that."

His eyes were fixed on the tall silver-haired demon that was standing calmly from across him. When he suddenly disappeared out of his vision, he quickly readied himself to repel any incoming attacks.

Adrenaline shot through his body as he sensed a presence to his left and he raised a claw to counterattack.

"Too slow," a stern voice said from an unknown direction.

Before the hanyou could even apprehend the whereabouts of his opponent, he was already sent flying to the other side of the clearing.

"Arck!" he cried as he wiped out over the dirt with his face down.

He quickly pushed himself up and jumped into a fighting stance again. "Heh! I thought you said you were getting serious..." he scoffed.

"Your arrogance doesn't suit your capabilities," Sesshoumaru commented flatly. "You still have a long way to go before you qualify as my sparring partner."

Inuyasha scowled and flexed his claws. "Shut up and attack!"

But the full-blooded demon didn't move an inch.

"I said-"

"Silence!" his brother snarled, which surprised Inuyasha.

He raised a brow when Sesshoumaru turned to another direction and slightly bowed.

"What brings you here?" he heard him say.

"Your ability to sense your surroundings never cease to amaze me Sesshoumaru, just like your father."

The voice came from behind the trees and Inuyasha quickly ran to his brother's side.

"H-haha-ue!" he said wide-eyed when his mother walked into the clearing. "What are you doing here?"

"At first I thought I could watch you two spar, but I guess Sesshoumaru will only allow Kagome to do so," she teased, shifting her gaze between the brothers. Her expression turned serious. "I came to tell you that a messenger came this morning, saying that you're father will be returning within the next couple of days."

"I understand," Sesshoumaru responded with a firm nod.

"You still insist...on bringing back Kagome?" she asked hesitatingly.

"Of course we do!" Inuyasha interrupted, turning to his brother. "Right aniue?"

"Are you still having those dreams?" the dog demon asked out of the blue.

"Well yes, thank you..." his mother nodded. "They've stopped ever since summer arrived."

For a moment, rustling leaves was all they could hear.

"By the way..." she began. "...it's going to be your birthday soon Sesshoumaru, isn't it? Do you have any particular requests or wishes?"

"Mother," Sesshoumaru spoke coldly. "I do not wish to speak about this."

"I understand," she said, slightly disappointed. "But your father and I think it's time for you to choose your future mate with whom you'll rule over this land with."

The demon closed his eyes. "I have yet to come across a demoness that is worthy of becoming my mate."

"A demoness huh?" his mother murmured softly.

"Forgive me mother," he apologized with a polite bow. "I didn't mean to-"

"Hey I know!" Inuyasha suddenly cut him off. "Why don't you just wish for Kagome's safety?"

Both adults were dumbfounded by the young hanyou, but a smile formed on their mother's lips while Sesshoumaru put up a scowl.

"I will not wish for something that foolish Inuyasha," the full-blooded demon stated sternly.

Inuyasha dropped his face, but was surprised when Sesshoumaru held up his clawed hand to his eyes.

"I will keep Kagome safe with these claws of mine."

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**:  
Darn, I really need to punish my muses...they really bug me when they don't cooperate with me. I'm sorry for the late update. I just can't seem to concentrate on the chapters. I hope this one turned out well. Please review after reading okay? Thanks!

Greets,

Kittymui

.-.-

_'Italic'_: thoughts  
"...": spoken words  
-.-.-.-: time gap  
-CAPSLOCKED WORDS-: noises

.-.-

**Next chapter: Chapter 19**

.-

InuTaisho's coming back and we'll see what he's going to decide. In the meantime, Bankotsu will try to figure out what he'll do about Kagome's confession. Be sure to look forward to the next chapter!

.-

**Vocabulary:**

taijiya: exterminator  
haha-ue: a respectful way to refer to your mother  
aniue: a respectful way to refer to an older brother

.-.-

**REPLIES ON REVIEWS:**

Amunett: Thanks! I'll try to update sooner!

inuyashagurl1490: Thank you :). Hope you liked the chapter!

Wake-Robin: Thanks! I'm not really enjoying the internship but I'll try to make the best of it hehehe.

C4n4di4n-G1r1535: Thanks for reviewing!

darkenedmoonlightflame: Thank you very much! I'm glad you think that way!

Duzzie: Hahaha I sure hope the story isn't somewhat of a mystery in a negative way :). Kagome's going to get better with her bow and arrows but Kagome won't be getting her original powers back, that I can tell you. I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter.

sessywuver: Thank you!

aNiMaAyAnGeL: Haha I'm happy I chose the Bankotsu/Kagome pairing for this story, it seems to be very appropriate :). I wish Bankotsu was my husband...sigh...

Skitzoflame: Yup! She never does hehehe, that's how she melted Sesshoumaru and Bankotsu's hearts!

blackrose113: Yeah, I have to agree with you with that. Thanks for reviewing!

lady-joker: Hahaha it will be soon, don't worry :). Hmm like some story? I wonder which one...

xxprincess-sakuraxx: Thanks for telling me that! Bankotsu blind? He will be able to see in a couple of chapters, but not when Kagome's around unfortunately...sorry ;).

Moon-n-Universe-Goddess: Thank you! I will!

sesshomaruobsessed: Thanks thanks! I will try to update sooner.

Sirayme: Don't worry, amazing is written like that :). Actually I'm using fanfiction to ease my mind from my internship, the fact that I update later than usual proves that I'm having trouble combining the two activities hehehe.

Fluffy'sbabe: Hahaha the things you're expecting are really coming in the following chapters, be sure to read them okay? Thanks for reviewing!

Inukamisashi: Really long time no review! How have you been doing? Glad you liked the chapter!

MadMood: Woah! Please spare me!

susie202: Hahaha, I'm so happy to hear that! Thanks!

Nine-Tailed-Fire-Fox: Thank you very much! Yup, what we're reading is what Bankotsu present time is reading and we'll be turning back to the present time when he finishes reading it :). Bankotsu in the past won't be seeing the drawing I'm afraid, you'll find why out soon enough hehehe. Hmm how many more chapters? I think it will take another 5-7 chapters before the book ends. Kagome's birthday is mid-autumn. I hope I've cleared all the questions :).

BelleDayNight: I've been having a hard time reviewing some days ago too, it must be some problem at or something. Thanks for reviewing despite the failed attempts :) I appreciate that! I guess this chapter answered your question right?

Posted: 5 June 2005  
Last Edited: 5 June 2005  
Spelling check: YES

**DISCLAIMER: **I do not own Inuyasha or any characters of it. And I do not own whatever elements of this story that seem familiar and had already been used by other creative individuals before. But... I do own the idea of mixing all of these elements together into a new story!


	20. Chapter XIX

**A TALE FROM THE PAST**

by Kittymui

**CHAPTER XIX**

Inuyasha felt a strange kind of tension as he listened to the mix of footsteps over the wooden floor. He and Sesshoumaru were treading right behind their father as they headed towards his study.

Just two minutes ago, they were welcoming back the demon lord from his long journey. Seeing the exhaustion on his face as he told them the outcome of his discussion with the lord of the Northern Lands, Inuyasha had hesitated to bring up the Kagome-matter. However, much to his astonishment, his brother didn't care less and rudely interrupted the lord, saying that he had to speak with him in private. Their mother had kindly asked if it could wait another day, but Sesshoumaru just cut her off by saying that 'time was running out'.

Hearing that, InuTaisho decided that they should go to his study to talk. The slight irritation that emerged from his furrowed brows caught Inuyasha's attention and the hanyou suddenly became unsure about the final answer to the idea of bringing Kagome back.

There they were, standing inside the demon lord's study and watching silently how he took his time to take off his swords and armor.

"Speak," InuTaisho ordered sharply as he hung up the heavy armor on a standard and tightened the sash around his white robe.

Sesshoumaru stepped forward. "I wish to get your permission to summon Kagome back for her 20th birthday," he said without a drip of hesitation in his voice.

A moment of silence passed as the demon lord tried to comprehend his son's request. "Do you know what you're asking of me?" he asked a bit perplexed.

"Yes." Was Sesshoumaru's short answer.

InuTaisho scowled, which made Inuyasha want to shy away behind his brother's tall figure.

"I thought you had decided never to mention her again," he pointed out.

Sesshoumaru's eyes hardened, but refused to respond to this.

"I see...then...you're aware that we're bringing Kagome closer to the enemy by summoning her back?"

"I have killed all the assassins Naraku sent and protected an empty room without fail. With Kagome inside the fortress, the outcome will be the same," the demon prince stated.

"You're wrong," InuTaisho disagreed. "The next assault will probably be harder to fend off than before."

Inuyasha slightly tilted his head. "Why?"

"The lord of the Northern Lands warned me of an infamous group of assassin, called the Shichinintai, disappearing from the Northern soil," his father explained. "Rumor says they were last seen heading southeast."

"How does that have to do with us?" the hanyou asked.

"It means that Naraku might have hired them to assassinate Kagome," he said. "As the name says it already, the group consist of seven men, and according to the lord of the North, they have never failed a mission before."

Sesshoumaru scoffed at this. "Seven isn't even a quarter of the total number of assassins that the bastard had sent in the past ten years. I see no reason to worry."

Inuyasha stole a glance at his brother and turned back to their father. "Aniue is right. We are strong enough to protect aneue from that group," he said full of spirit.

InuTaisho let out a sigh. "As much as I want to believe that we needn't worry, it's still advisable to gather more information about our potential enemies. Unfortunately, the lord of the Northern Lands had refused to cooperate."

"Hmph, those lowlifes probably still need those assassins to carry out tasks that they don't want to corrupt their hands with," Sesshoumaru scowled.

"Probably," the demon lord nodded in agreement. "We'll have to rely on our own methods then."

Noticing the worry on his father's face, Inuyasha decided to speak out his thoughts. "Why are you so worried chichi-ue? No one had ever seen aneue in real person, doesn't that put us in a more advantageous position than the Shichinintai? We'll just have to find them before they find aneue, that's all."

His naivety and simplicity made InuTaisho chuckle. "Your persistence remind me of your sister," he said with a smile. "What you say is true, but even if I agree to this, how do you intend to find her? For the sake of secrecy, it was decided that her guardian would be the only one to know where they were going, so we have no clue of where Kagome could be right now."

This rendered the hanyou speechless, but the determination on Sesshoumaru's calm face remained, as if he was already expecting that question. "Kagome's guardian is a demon exterminator," he began. "Naturally, she would be the one to take care of their financial means."

His words stirred the attention of the demon lord and Sesshoumaru continued before anyone could interrupt him. "I strongly believe she would do so by helping villagers or travelers and protecting them from malicious demons, so if we start a rumor in a village about a rampaging demon, she will surely appear."

"A demon huh?" InuTaisho pondered with a hand on his chin. "But a rumor needs something touchable for people to believe."

Sesshoumaru turned to Inuyasha. "Inuyasha will take care of that," he stated.

The hanyou widened his eyes and dropped his jaw in disbelief. "M-me?" But he wasn't the only was giving the demon prince a bewildered look as InuTaisho was astounded by the proposal as well.

"Why Inuyasha?" the demon lord asked.

"Delivering the message by myself will be the fastest way, but I'm fully aware that it will draw too much attention," Sesshoumaru explained. "However, I don't trust anyone outside this family, so Inuyasha is the only choice left."

InuTaisho frowned. "Don't you think he's too inexperienced and young to carry out such an important mission?"

The demon prince glanced at his younger brother. "Because of his age and inexperience, people wouldn't suspect his sudden departure from the fortress. His height will allow him to escape and hide easily when villagers are chasing him and with his current skills, I believe he'll be able to survive in the wilderness."

As Inuyasha listened to his brother's reasoning, a strange kind of excitement began to fill his heart. For the first time he was actually useful because of his short length and young age.

"However Inuyasha..." Sesshoumaru continued in a darker voice, which made Inuyasha snap out if it. "If you should fail...I will end your life."

Inuyasha shivered at the cold tone of the threat.

At first he thought Sesshoumaru was overreacting, but on second thought, he could kind of imagine what would happen if the message fell into the wrong hands or if someone found out the rampaging was just a hoax.

His thoughts were cut off when InuTaisho spoke.

"Now that everything's been decided, when will you have Inuyasha leave? And which village do you have in mind?"

"Tomorrow." Was Sesshoumaru's answer. "The village will be the one near the center of the Western Lands, the rumor will spread faster this way."

Inuyasha turned to his brother. "But aniue, how will I recognize the guardian you're talking about?" Although he was thrilled at the entire idea, he couldn't hide the nervousness that was written all over his face. After all, he was going to be the most crucial element of the plan. If he fails to deliver the message to the right person, everything would end.

"I will tell you tomorrow," Sesshoumaru replied and turned back to their father. "We shall excuse ourselves now."

After a polite bow, he turned to leave and Inuyasha followed.

"Be careful," said the demon lord, before they opened the sliding door.

While Sesshoumaru didn't find the need to respond, Inuyasha turned around with a smirk on his face. "Don't worry chichi-ue, I won't let aniue stain his claws with my blood."

.-.-.-.

"You sure you're fit enough to go?" Kagome asked worriedly as she watched her guardian put on her black garb.

"I have to. It's my duty to protect those villagers as well," Sango said while slipping her short sword behind the dark purple sash around her waist. "We earn too little money with the small missions, it's time I took on a big one."

"But..." Kagome wasn't able to come up with a good argument. Sango was right. Solely focusing on small missions wasn't a good idea, especially now when they were running low on money. A lot have happened in the past months and they used almost all of their saved money on bandage and medicine.

"Don't worry, my injuries of last time have already healed," she reassured her. "They're not impeding any of my movements."

Kagome sighed in defeat, realizing that she won't be able to stop her. "Just be careful okay?"

Sango suddenly grinned evilly. "Well...if something does go wrong, I'll always have your sweetheart Bankotsu to rescue me," she teased.

"Sango!" Kagome cried wide-eyed with flushed cheeks.

With the smirk still plastered on her face, the taijiya picked up her large boomerang and turned to the door. At the same time, the door opened and Bankotsu entered.

"Nice timing! We were just talking about you!" she smiled.

Bankotsu gave her a clueless expression but she brushed pass him and closed the door behind her before he could say anything.

"Kagome?" he called out as he walked further into the house.

"I'm here," Kagome responded, slightly relieved that her guardian left without saying any more things that could embarrass her any more.

"You two were talking about me?" he asked as he sat down next to her.

Blood rushed up Kagome's cheeks again. "S-she was just joking!"

"Oh okay," the assassin smiled. "So...where was she going? She seemed to be in a hurry."

The blush on Kagome's face disappeared and she put up a not too happy face. "She went out to kill a demon," she replied with a sigh.

Bankotsu noticed the sad pitch in her voice and turned to her. "Is something wrong?"

"I'm worried," she told him. "I don't know how much of the rumor is true, but I'm afraid that Sango might get injured again."

"Rumors?" he asked with full attention.

She nodded. "Sango told me that a rumor had been spreading since a week ago. It's about a demon child raging around a certain village."

"If it's just a child, your sister should be able to handle it," he comforted her.

"I don't know..." Kagome hesitated. "It only moves at night so the villagers have only seen its shadow, which resembled one of a child. Nobody has succeeded in capturing it so far."

"Sounds like a smart demon," Bankotsu thought aloud. "But a not very strong one."

Kagome was surprised to hear this. "How do you know?"

"I have fought a lot of demons before in the North. Really strong demons don't run away. They choose to fight their enemies till the end to protect their pride," he told her. "Not to mention that we're talking about humans here. How much stronger can a mere human be than the child of a demon? So if the rumor is true, you shouldn't have to worry."

A moment of silence passed with Kagome elaborating on the things she just heard. "I guess you're right," she said after a while.

"All right!" Bankotsu cheerfully interrupted the serious atmosphere. "Now that you've been freed from your worries, are you in for a walk?"

Kagome turned to Bankotsu with a puzzled expression. She didn't notice it before but now that she look at him more carefully, she could see tiny droplets clinging at the ends of his dark bangs. "Your hair is wet, did you go to the creek this morning?" she asked.

"Come with me. I want to show you something," he said as he stood up.

Without asking, he took her hand and pulled her to her feet.

"Wait! What about Kirara?" she halted him.

Bankotsu turned to the fire cat who was lying in her usual corner. "It won't take too long...probably..." he said, muttering the last word. "Besides, Kirara doesn't like water, right?"

Kirara growled in reply.

The assassin flashed Kagome an 'I told you so' face before shifting back to the demon cat. "We'll be back soon, don't worry!"

With that, he exited the house, taking Kagome with him.

.-.-.-.

"Probably? What did you mean by probably?" Kagome asked while being pulled through the forest. "W-where are you taking me?"

"You'll see," he replied without stopping.

After a quick walk, they arrived at the same old clearing.

"W-wha...?" Kagome raised a brow as she bent forward a little to catch her breath. "We've been here...so many times."

"Have you rested enough?" Was the only thing Bankotsu asked as he stepped backwards to give her some breathing space. His face was that of a child who finally got to go to a long promised destination.

At the sight of his excited expression, Kagome completely forgot about her fatigue and straightened up again. "I am now."

"Good, let's go." The assassin took hold of her hand again and walked into the clearing.

With his other hand raised in the air to feel his path, he zigzagged around the large boulders over the field until they reached the creek.

Kagome silently followed him as he softly counted his steps alongside the bank.

"This is it," he said and stopped at a spot where the bank on the other side of the creek was replaced by a high and rocky mountain. It was unmistakably the same mountain that was damaged by Bankotsu, but probably the side that had remained unharmed.

"Are you sure?" Kagome asked while looking around. "I don't see anything spe-"

Her sentence literally fell into the water when something suddenly pushed her forward into the creek.

SPLASH

Kagome quickly swam back to the surface and spat out the water that had entered her mouth. "Phhhrrrt...what the hell...do you think you're doing!" she spluttered.

Just when she finished wiping away the water from her face, another splashing sound came from beside her, followed by a rough wave of water that caught her by surprise.

SPLASH

"Ugh ugh..." she coughed, trying to get the water out of her lungs.

"You okay?" Bankotsu's voice sounded from beside her.

Kagome scowled, realizing that he was the one who pushed her into the creek, and turned to him furiously. "Are you trying to ki-" Her voice broke off when she found Bankotsu's face just inches away from hers. With his wet bangs plastered against his forehead and drops of water shimmering on his face, he looked more breathtaking than before.

"Kagome?"

She snapped out of her staring with a blush on her face. "Y-yes?"

"Are you okay?" he repeated his question.

"Y-yeah...just startled..." she stammered. "You should have warned me."

"Sorry about that," he apologized. "But don't you notice something unusual in the water?"

Now that he mentioned it, Kagome realized that there was no solid ground below her feet. Gazing down to look under the water, she found a dark blue nothingness below them. "It's deep," she said surprised.

"Normally, a creek would be much shallower," Bankotsu agreed. "I discovered it this morning, when I went swimming in the creek."

"Is this what you wanted to show me?" Kagome asked slightly annoyed. "You could've just told me instead of pushing me into the water."

Ignorant to what she said, the assassin started rolling his long braid around his neck until its end was touching his shoulder. "How long do you think you can hold your breath?" he asked.

Kagome widened her eyes in stupefaction. "What?"

"I said-"

"I know what you said!" she cut him off angrily. "But why are you asking me that?"

"Just answer the question okay?"

The patience and calmness in his voice made Kagome realize how ill mannered she must have sounded and tried to compose herself. "I don't know," she grunted in frustration. "One minute?"

"One minute will do," he said and swam towards the mountain.

Kagome quickly followed him. "Why did you ask me that? Where are we going exactly?"

"We're going to dive," he explained and moved one of his hands above the water to her. "Can you give me your hand?"

Kagome hesitated but eventually placed her hand into his. A blush colored her wet cheeks again when Bankotsu gently secured her hand in his.

"Okay, now take a deep breath. We're going under water as soon as you're ready," he told her.

Kagome inhaled a deep breath and squeezed his hand to signal that she was ready. After Bankotsu finished taking a deep breath as well, both of them dived under the water.

.-.-.-.

Much to her surprise, the assassin managed to swim quite well underwater. Despite the fact that he was blind and had to figure out where they were with one hand touching the rocky wall, he was still able to keep a steady pace.

On the other hand, Kagome was doing her best to keep up but realized that she was being pulled most of the time. Her yukata was definitely hindering her leg movements and she just couldn't help but wonder why Bankotsu didn't have any problems swimming fully dressed.

When their swimming direction suddenly began to change, Kagome snapped out of it and looked around, only to find out that they were entering a fairly large round opening in the wall of stone. That it turned out to be a tunnel startled her but she was even more confounded when she realized that it leaded into the mountain they saw earlier.

As they swam deeper into the tunnel, the amount of sunlight began to decrease at a pace that sent shivers through Kagome's body. At a certain moment, it became so dark that Kagome could barely distinguish Bankotsu's silhouette from the tunnel wall around them. If it hadn't been for his hand, which was tightly holding hers, she would surely have lost it a long time ago.

However, because of the unending dead silence and darkness around her, the calmness inside her slowly began to wear off. _'How long have we been swimming...?'_ she wondered as uneasiness crept up her shoulders. The one minute she told the assassin was actually just a wild guess. The truth was, she had never had underwater experience before.

Kagome hesitatingly peeked over her shoulder to look behind her and almost instantly; she wished she had never done so. The entrance was nowhere to be found behind them; there was no turning back now even if she wanted to. She quickly shook it off and tried hard not to think about it, but with no sign of the exit or entrance, she found herself unable to calm down again. _'What if I can't hold my breath for one minute...? What if the tunnel is much longer than Bankotsu had expected?'_ she thought. _'What if-'_

Suddenly, something inside her head snapped and she realized that her legs weren't listening to her anymore. _'M-my legs...I can't move them...!'_ she widened her eyes in terror. _'I-I'm drowning!'_ She quickly yanked at Bankotsu's hand to alarm him.

Luckily, Bankotsu immediately stopped and turned around to her.

_'H-help me!'_ Kagome begged in her mind as she clasped his upper arms with both hands. Despite her effort to keep the air inside her, small bubbles of air slipped through her trembling lips and floated upwards to the top of the dark tunnel. _'I don't want to die!' _

As if she wasn't scared enough, Bankotsu suddenly forced her head to hold still with both his hands on each side of her face. _'W-what are you doing!'_ she thought shocked. Kagome felt her strength seep out of her body and squeezed her eyes shut when the last bit of tranquility left her. Just when the last breath of air was going to leave her, something suddenly pressed against her lips, forcing them to close again.

Kagome's eyes shot open and widened in shock when they found Bankotsu's eyes just one inch away from hers. Her body froze and her heart skipped when she realized that the assassin had pressed his lips against hers.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**:  
Some of you might be wondering why there are still demons (like that lizard Bankotsu fought and those that Sango protected villages from) in the Western Lands, while the barrier's still intact. First of all, you should keep in mind that members of the royal family are also demons. The reason that they didn't get purified when Kagome erected the barrier is because it's a selective one (not all demons are ill-natured). Second of all, demons only get purified if they touch the barrier, so those that are born inside the barrier later on won't get purified. As for the lizard demon, he was born and sealed after the barrier was created. I hope that clears up a bit :).

By the way, sorry for the late update. The end of my internship is near with only 3 more weeks to go, so I need to put more work into it. Oh...almost forgot to tell you an important announcement. Summer holiday is approaching and my destination to spend it has already been decided, so this story will be idle during the next month (July). Don't worry, I won't abandon this story. I promise I will continue writing the chapters so I can post the as soon as I return :)! And euhm...I'll try to refrain myself from writing a cliffhanger before I leave hehehehe.

Greets,

Kittymui

.-.-.-.

_'Italic'_: thoughts  
"...": spoken words  
.-.-.-.-.: time gap  
-CAPSLOCKED WORDS-: noises

.-.-.-.

**Next chapter: Chapter XX**

.-.-.

Sorry about the cliffhanger, but it was the perfect spot to stop (in my eyes). So in the next chapter we'll have Inuyasha meeting Sango for the very first time. And then we'll change the scene back to Kagome and Bankotsu again :)! Please look forward to it ne?

.-.-.

**Vocabulary:**

aniue: a very respectful way to refer to an older brother  
aneue: (see translation above) referring to an older sister  
chichi-ue: (see above) referring to your father  
taijiya: exterminator (of demons)  
yukata: a traditional Japanese garment worn by women during summer

.-.-.-.

**REPLIES ON REVIEWS:**

MadMood: Thanks! I'll try!

BelleDayNight: Yeah, but he will not be the only one who's going to feel guilty I'm afraid. As for your question, remember the conversation between the present time Bankotsu and his friends? One of his friends explained that the eldest son of the Royal family died and the youngest son went missing. Actually I haven't really considered letting Inuyasha reappear in the present time, but I'll think about it :).

Wake-Robin: Glad you liked it :). About my internship, it's not that I dislike it, but I'm not used to it, that's all :). I just hope I will get a good grade for it after finishing it.

xxprincess-sakuraxx: Honestly? Nope, he won't get to see her until he has to kill her. It's pretty sad, but it was already settled long before the present time Bankotsu read the tale :). Don't worry, I will update!

Fluffy'sbabe: Hahaha thanks for pointing out the mistake. I guess I was too hasty with editing the story since I wanted to update it as soon as possible :). I'm glad you loved the chapter!

Skitzoflame: Haha yup, it's about time she did :)!

sessywuver: Thank you! I'll try to update as soon as possible!

Hanoi: Hahaha, hope you're still sane :), 'cause I really wouldn't want a reader/reviewer to go mad because I'm late with updating hehehe. Nevertheless, sorry for the late update. But I'm really happy to know that you like the story so far, thanks!

lady-joker: Hmm sorry to disappoint you...I guess I wasn't fast enough to post a chapter before you come back. Hope you like the chappie though :)!

Youkai Dreams: It's really encouraging to receive nice long review from time to time, thank you very much! I'm so happy to know that my story managed to enter your favorites list and that you like my writing style and plot :). Hmm I did set a deadline for myself to update every 10 days, but with my internship and stuff, I'm forced to break that promise...sigh...now I update every 10 to 15 days, I just hope that isn't too long. By the way, don't worry about not reviewing every chapter, because I too don't do it with each story I read :). I'll be sure to look forward to your next review! Thanks again.

Inukamisashi: Thank you! Hope you enjoyed your summer vacation! Good luck at school!

susie202: Thank you very much!

aNiMaAyAnGeL: Thanks but I think I'll let that pass :). As much as I'd love to imagine myself with an anime character, the special feeling would disappear if it's written down. Some things are better kept between the ears I guess :). Thanks for reviewing!

Hieta: Thanks!

inuyashagurl1490: Thank you! Just wait and see ne?

Sirayme: I'm glad you told me that :)! The internship (actually more a research project since it's inside the university) lasts 10 weeks in total. I've still got 3 more weeks to go, so if things go well I'll be delivering my final report on the 8th of July.

miss lady death: Wow, thank you very much! I'm happy to know you love my story!

FluffyWolfy: Thanks!

x0SilverFeathersx0: Thank you :)! Good luck with your story too! Haha I see that you favor Jakotsu, don't you? Unfortunately, it'll still take some more chapters before Bankotsu meets up with his companions again. Until then, be sure to keep reading, 'cause things are getting more and more interesting from now on.

Cascading Fates: Now that you ask, I haven't really thought about Sesshoumaru's choice in mate actually. It's true that every character deserve a happy ending but won't the plot become too 'thick' if I do that? Hmm...I'll think about it :).

Natsumi Tsuchi-Ookami: I'll update asap :)!

ninja monkey: Peaches: Thanks! I'm glad you love it so far!

killerkitty1106: That's great! Thanks! As for Sesshoumaru's mate...haven't thought about it yet! I'll consider adding it to the story :).

Posted: 18 June 2005  
Last Edited: 18 June 2004  
Spelling check: YES

**DISCLAIMER: **I do not own Inuyasha or any characters of it. And I do not own whatever elements of this story that seem familiar and had already been used by other creative individuals before. But... I do own the idea of mixing all of these elements together into a new story!


	21. Chapter XX

**A TALE FROM THE PAST**

by Kittymui

**CHAPTER XX**

_'I'm so bo-ored...'_ he yawned inaudibly. Reluctantly, he lifted his heavy eyelids and blinked several times to adapt to the bright sunlight.

With a cocked eyebrow, he let his gold-amber orbs fall to the ground below him. Through the branches and leaves, he could see some human children gathering around the tree and whispering things to each other.

"Hey...do you think it's safe to play out here?"

"Geez, what are you so afraid of? You know that monster only moves at night."

"That's true...but still...we might bump into his resting place or something, or worse, we could be right under his nose right now..."

_'You got that right.'_ he thought amused. A smirk formed on his lips as he saw them trying to look up, but averted their gazes to protect them from the sun.

"Don't be silly! If the monster were here, it should have attacked us right now."

"Hmm...I guess you're right."

"All right! Let's play then! What do you want to do?"

"Uhm...how about hide-and-seek?"

"Okay! You're it!"

An uninterested expression appeared on the hanyou's face again as he listened to the kid's countdown. It somehow reminded him of how many days had passed since he was stationed here.

In the beginning, the pestering of travelers and villagers at night was actually quite entertaining, but as time passed, the humans began to expect him and the fun of surprising them wore off. Nevertheless, they were still scared of him and since he wasn't here merely to 'have fun' it was all that mattered.

He just wished the guardian would arrive soon.

FLASHBACK

"So...how does this 'guardian' look like?" he asked his brother, who was walking beside him.

"Her name is Sango, you would probably recognize her by the huge bone boomerang, which she carries behind her back," Sesshoumaru replied. "If you meant her facial features, I can only recall her dark brown eyes and long black hair, tied in a high ponytail."

A hush fell between them as they looked at the forest beyond the gates of the fortress.

"Aniue..." he began. "...do you think the plan will work?"

"I don't think...I know it will work," the dog demon replied dully. "If you succeed in not getting yourself caught before the guardian arrives, that is.

He smirked. "That wouldn't be a problem. I just hope I wouldn't have to wait too long for her. It's not like we have a lot of time left until autumn."

"Don't let the fun drive away your duty," Sesshoumaru grumbled with a frown.

"Don't worry, I won't lay a finger on the villagers," he assured him. "I guess I'll go now."

Just when he had passed the gate, his brother's voice called out to him.

"Inuyasha."

The hanyou looked over his shoulder to the tall dog demon.

"Don't dishonor us."

A smirk formed on his young features. "I won't."

END FLASHBACK

There he was, lying lazily on one of the highest branches of an old tree. He had been waiting for more than a week now and there was still no sign of the guardian. From his current position, he had a perfect view of the village, but so far, he had only seen monks and priests.

He snorted inwardly as he recalled a certain group of monks that decided to lend the villagers a hand several days ago. After he had made an appearance before them at night, they were convinced that he was the restless spirit of a deceased demonic child. Without time to lose, they immediately prepared and carried out one of their rituals at the same night, which, of course, didn't have a single effect on him.

He did feel a bit guilty when he saw the disappointment on their faces as they realized the ritual didn't work, but the feeling vanished as soon as he thought of it being part of a more important mission. After all, he was only aiming for a happy family reunion; it wasn't like he had harmed anyone to reach that goal.

Sudden movements and busy voices coming from the village made him snap out of his thoughts and the laziness on his face made way for a dead-serious expression. He jumped up to stand on the branch and concentrated on what was being said.

"You must have traveled a long way." He heard someone say. It was the voice of the village chief. A crowd appeared from behind a house and moved into the small open area at the center of the village.

Inuyasha narrowed his eyes. There was someone at the center of the mass of people but a lot of heads were blocking the sight of the face. The talking and whispering camouflaged the voice of the stranger, but suddenly he caught a sentence from an old villager.

"Please help us Sango-sama."

At the same time, some of the villagers' heads moved aside, which gave him a perfect view of the person who stood next to the village chief. It turned out to be a woman.

Excitement shot through his body as he took a good look at her. Huge bone boomerang...black ponytail...brown eyes. _'It's her! The plan worked! The guardian is here!'_ he concluded wide-eyed. Apparently, the taijiya was quite well-known among the villagers since they attached the '-sama' suffix to her name.

This, together with the thought that she had been protecting his sister for the past ten years stirred a strong admiration inside him. His lips formed a grin as he pulled a hooded black robe from his long red sleeve. _'Well then guardian...'_ He swung the attire around his shoulders and pulled the hood over his silvery white hair and dog ears. _'...let's see if you're really that strong as the villagers say you are.'_

_'If you are forced to move by day, use the robe mother gave you.'_ he remembered Sesshoumaru's words. _'If not, move by night.'_

_'I can't wait until nightfall, aniue,'_ he apologized inwardly to his brother and tied up the sash of the hood around his neck.

He set off with his bare feet and leaped from branch to branch in the direction of the village. The final jump brought him to the wooden roof of one of the houses and within seconds, one of the villagers noticed his presence.

"Woah! D-demon...it's the demon child...o-on the roof of the chief's house!"

Everybody turned their attention to him. With the horrified expression on their faces, Inuyasha really began to feel like he was evil and he folded his arms together. "Fear me humans! I'm no spirit of a dead demon! I can harass this village by day as well!" he cried, trying to sound like an authentic wicked being.

A villager turned to the taijiya and pleaded while pointing at Inuyasha. "S-Sango-sama! That's the demon! P-please help us!"

_'Time to go now.'_ Inuyasha thought and made a high jump into the air towards the trees again. "Catch me if you can!" he yelled before disappearing into the green.

As soon as he landed on the ground, he darted through the trees, deeper into the forest. _'Can you catch up with me guardian?'_ he asked inwardly.

"Hiraikotsu!"

His dog ears twitched at the cry that sounded from behind him and he peeked over his shoulder. His eyes widened at the large boomerang that was pursuing him. With its great speed, it was leaving a deep trail behind in the earth as it flew vertically into his direction.

He widened his eyes as he saw the drastic decrease in the distance between them. _'It's fast!'_ Just when it was about to hit him, he quickly made a somersault in the air and successfully dodged the boomerang. When he set foot on the ground again, he found the taijiya standing right in front of him, holding the boomerang behind her back.

_'She's good.'_ he smirked inwardly.

"Tell me demon, why are you attacking the village?" she demanded.

"For your information, I wasn't attacking the village. I was just scaring the villagers," Inuyasha argued as he straightened his black robe. "And I have a pretty good reason to do it too."

The taijiya narrowed her eyes. "What reason?"

"To lure you out of the crowd."

Inuyasha noticed her widened eyes and knew what she was thinking. "Don't worry about the villagers, they're fine," he told her. "I came alone."

"Why should I trust a demon?" she snarled and turned around.

Inuyasha knew she was about to dash back to the villagers again if he didn't say anything soon and he quickly parted his lips again. "Guardian!" he cried.

The taijiya froze in her movements and slowly turned to him again. "H-how did you-"

"I've come to deliver a message," he said and pulled back the hood that was hiding his features.

.-.-.-.

To say that Kagome was surprised to find Bankotsu's lips pressed against hers, was truly an understatement. Her widened eyes never left his hazy ones as they floated in the middle of the dark water tunnel. The lack of air inside her body was making her more nervous by the second and the sudden 'kiss' had only made it worse.

Through the perplexity, she suddenly felt Bankotsu's lips move apart. When a bit of air entering her mouth through their joined lips, she finally understood what he was trying to do and carefully parted her lips as well. With an additional portion of oxygen entering her breathing system, her body seemed to have calmed down again.

As soon as she stopped trembling, Bankotsu quickly pulled away and took hold of her hand again. When he placed her hand on one of his shoulders and turned around, Kagome knew he was telling her to hold onto him from behind and quickly wrapped her other arm around his neck as well.

After making sure she wouldn't fall off, Bankotsu began to swim again. He quickened his pace and started swimming using both arms with Kagome on his back.

In the meantime, Kagome kept thinking about what happened seconds ago. _'Don't get any silly thoughts Kagome...he only did it to save you...'_ she told herself as she desperately tried to ignore the feeling that still lingered on her lips.

Her train of thoughts crashed when they suddenly broke through the water surface.

Both Bankotsu and Kagome inhaled deeply to fill their lungs with fresh air, while creating some breathing distance between them.

"You okay?" he asked her as he wiped the water from his face.

"I-I guess," she coughed lightly. After squeezing most part of the water out of her eyes, Kagome was finally able to look around.

Her lips formed an inaudible 'wow' when she looked at the size of the place they were in.

It turned out to be a cavern, but strangely enough, it wasn't as dark as she thought it would be. The walls refracted light from an unknown direction, which ended up illuminating the entire hollow.

"Amazing huh?" Bankotsu's voice echoed in the cavern.

"Yeah, I never thought were would be a cavern inside the mountain," she responded.

"But we aren't there yet," he added with a smile. He swam to the edge and got out of the water.

Kagome, curious as always, followed suit.

At first, she had expected to shiver as soon as she left the water, but to her surprise, the air was warmer than she thought.

"Surprisingly warm, isn't it? I think it's because of the humidity," the assassin reasoned as he wrung out the water from his white outfit. He waited until Kagome had finished doing the same with her yukata and offered her his hand.

She took it with pleasure and the two of them started walking away from the water.

It was a pretty long cavern and while they strode over the stone floor, Kagome couldn't help but feel relieved that she had decided to wear a thicker yukata today. Had she worn something less opaque, the water would surely have exposed some curves of her body, which she'd rather have kept hidden. Even though Bankotsu was blind, she wasn't quite used to walking around half-naked.

Curiously, her eyes drifted sideward to peek at the assassin. Although his attire was just as opaque as hers, they seemed to be clinging more firmly to his body than her yukata. His haori was perfectly aligned with his chest, revealing the contours of his torso.

A deep blush colored her cheeks when she noticed the firmness of his muscles and darted her eyes back to the path, only to realize that they were slowly entering a tunnel that's taking a small turn to the left.

After taking the turn, she was forced to shield her eyes from the bright light that shone into their direction. When she was finally able to see again, she found herself facing the exit of the tunnel. From the amount of light that entered though it, she concluded that it leaded to an open area, where the sun could reach them. It would also explain why it wasn't pitch black inside the hollow.

A couple of steps later, they finally left the humid tunnel and, just like Kagome predicted, they entered a small circular area. It was surrounded by dark-gray walls and an opening in the ceiling with the same size as the area allowed the sun to fill the place with light. Because of this, all sorts of plants and flowers were able to grow in the cracks in the stone.

"Kagome?" Bankotsu suddenly called to her.

Kagome turned to him. "Hm?"

"How is it?"

"It's very nice," she smiled. "Too bad you can't see it."

The assassin returned a smile. "You're my pair of eyes remember? Can't you describe what you see?"

Kagome blushed. "Uhm...well...it's mainly stone, but there are quite a number of plants and flowers filling the cracks in the walls and floor. From the diversity, I think this place has existed for quite some time now," she explained. "There's also a shallow pond in the middle of the place, which is probably created by the heavy downpour back then, but I'm surprised it hasn't dried up yet under the direct sun. The sunlight is glistening on the water surface just like little fireflies in the middle of the day."

"Probably because of its nearness to the creek," Bankotsu reasoned aloud.

"Probably," she nodded. "How was my description? Can you picture the place in your mind?"

Bankotsu turned to face her. "It's heavenly...thank you," he smiled warmly.

The smile on his face made Kagome blush. "Y-you're welcome." As she said that, she dropped her gaze to their joined hands.

"...and I'm sorry..." he added.

Kagome gazed up at him again. "For what?"

"Back there...in the tunnel under water...I didn't mean to startle you."

The image of Bankotsu pressing his lips against hers appeared in Kagome's mind and she started to blush like a tomato. "I-it's okay...you did it to save me...right? I would probably have drowned if you hadn't k-"

She was just about to say 'kiss', but halted herself just in time. Fortunately her voice faltered at the end, which made it less noticeable that there were still words following.

That moment, a breeze got intercepted by the tall walls and entered the small area. As it brushed pass Kagome, the wetness of her clothes made it seem like an arctic wind and she shivered.

When another icy breath came, she stepped closer to Bankotsu for protection, hoping that the winds would die down soon.

To her surprise, Bankotsu suddenly placed himself in front of her and embraced her.

"Forgive me," he said as he refrained himself from holding her too close. "I just thought you might need some protection against the cold wind."

Kagome smiled at his thoughtfulness. "Thank you."

"You're trembling again," he said. "Do you want to go back into the cavern?"

She shook her head in his chest. "I want to stay like this for a little while longer..." she murmured as she snuggled closer.

The funny feeling in her stomach rose when Bankotsu wrapped his arms around her more tightly and she had to suppress herself from giggling.

His body was surprisingly warm compared to hers and soon, she realized that her shivering had stopped.

"Actually," the assassin suddenly began after a while. "there is another reason why I decided to bring you here."

Kagome pulled away again to look at him.

Bankotsu hesitated but ultimately parted his lips again. "I have been thinking about what you said some time ago, about what you felt when I left that day." He took a deep breath. "I want you to know that I felt the same too," he confessed. "The thought of you not being by my side left a deep sadness inside of me and it felt as though someone had ripped out my heart. That's what made me stay that day. I waited for you. I wanted you to tell me that you wanted me to stay...and you came..."

"Why..." Kagome interrupted. "Why did you leave if you wanted to stay?"

Bankotsu dropped his face. "I'm an assassin. Countless people have died by my hands. Even if part of me wanted to live a normal life, I couldn't possibly wish for someone to appear who would forgive and love the killer inside me." A small smile formed on his lips as he moved his hand from her waist to search for her face.

Kagome saw that and brought his warm hand to her cheek.

"And then you appeared..." he continued and caressed her soft cheek. "The thought of living a normal life with you did cross my mind once, but that was until I nearly got you killed. Your sister was right. I am a dangerous person and being with you will only get you injured. It pains me to see you hurt when you're with me, but..." He swallowed hard. "...it pains me even more when you're not here by my side."

Bankotsu didn't know what to say anymore after that. The various emotions that rushed through his mind made him wonder what kind of face he was showing the girl that moment. If only he could see her reaction right now.

Her hands, tightly clasped onto his damp haori, suddenly pulled at the fabric and forced him to bent forward with his head.

Bankotsu, whose vision was completely black, was oblivious to what Kagome was trying to do until a pair of soft lips suddenly touched his.

His eyes widened as he realized that Kagome was kissing him. _'Kagome...'_ he thought as his heart began to beat faster than usual. Slowly, he closed his eyes and leaned down to kiss her back while wrapping his arms around her body.

.-.-.-.

"Who are you and how do you know I'm a guardian?"

Inuyasha pulled out the remaining strands of hair from beneath his black robe. "I guess I can't blame you for not recognizing me," he sighed. "I was still a baby when you guided aneue out of the fortress."

The taijiya gave him a skeptical look but it didn't last very long. Her eyes became wide and her jaw almost dropped when realizations struck her. "I-Inuyasha-sama?" she gasped.

"Shhhh!" he shushed her with a finger before his lips.

Sango quickly covered her mouth. "Forgive me," she said with a lower volume. "But...why are you here, outside the fortress?"

"Like I said, I came to deliver a message," he replied as he took out a rectangular paper envelop with two characters forming the name 'Sango' written on it. "Here."

He handed the letter over to the guardian. "My mission was to cause havoc around the village and stay low profile until you arrive," he told her. "This letter was given to me by my brother and it's for your eyes only so I don't really know what's written inside. However, you must let aneue know about this okay?"

"Kagome?" Sango raised a brow. "Is she being called back to the fortress? Can she finally go back?"

"Yes and no," Inuyasha replied sadly, which only created more question marks on the taijiya's face. "It is indeed about summoning back aneue but it's only for a short reunion. You'll know what I'm talking about once you've read the letter."

He pulled the hood back over his head and turned around. "I guess I'm done with my part. I'm counting on you from here on," he said. "Please say hi to aneue for me. Tell her I'll be waiting at the fortress, together with aniue, chichi-ue and haha-ue."

"Wai-" Sango called but when she looked up from the paper envelope in her hand, the hanyou had already disappeared, leaving only a small movements in the grass behind.

.-.-.-.

A small breeze blew pass them again, but to Kagome and Bankotsu, it didn't feel chilly at all. After a while, their lips parted again due to the lack of air. Dreamily, she buried her head in his chest and he responded by drawing her closer and leaning his head against hers.

Seconds went by with the two silently sinking into their own thoughts.

Two different world and secrets that cannot be disclosed to one another, but they didn't care. From this moment on, they had sealed something between them, a promise. One that could travel across centuries...probably.

"Can you not stay?" Kagome broke the silence. "I don't want any more blood staining your hands."

Bankotsu's eyes hardened as he pulled back a little to face her. "I can't...I'm sorry."

"Why?" she asked, not wanting to lose all hope.

"It's complicated...but there's still a mission that I have to accomplish no matter what," he replied, hoping that Kagome would accept it as an adequate answer.

Kagome's face saddened. "It's going to be dangerous...isn't it?"

"Probably..." he said. "But I'm not going to die."

"How can you be so sure of that?" she frowned.

He took hold of her hand and squeezed it gently. "All these years, and even after becoming an assassin, I've never feared death," he told her. "But now, I do. Do you know why?"

Kagome remained silent.

"Because if I do," he continued. "I'll never be able to find out how you look like. You're my reason to live Kagome, that's why I won't allow myself to die."

"But you're going to leave for the mission once you have regained your sight, right?" she argued. "Then your reason to survive wouldn't-"

Bankotsu interrupted her by placing his other hand on her cheek. "I will leave eventually," he said. "...but once I've completed the mission...I will come back for you."

Kagome blinked in puzzlement. "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that I will quite being an assassin," he explained as he placed his forehead against hers. "I want to spend the rest of my life with you Kagome. Will you...allow this sinner to protect you for the rest of your life?"

Kagome's eyes widened and at the same time she desperately tried to find deceit in his hazy eyes, which she couldn't. Tears began to sting her eyes, as she understood the meaning behind his words.

When Bankotsu heard her sob, he quickly pulled back. Had he scared her with his words? Was it too soon? Didn't she feel for him as much as he felt for her? If she did...why was she crying?

The questions that filled his mind suddenly faded away when Kagome flung her arms around his neck and hugged him.

"Y-you'll come back...won't you?" she sniffed.

"Yes."

"Really? You promise?"

Bankotsu hugged her close and placed his head on her shoulder. "I promise."

.-.-.-. that evening .-.-.-.

"Kagome!"

Kagome snapped back into reality when she heard her name being called and raised her gaze. Her guardian was standing in front of their small house and it looked like she was waiting for her on purpose.

"S-Sango!" she gasped surprised. Almost instantly, she separated her hand from Bankotsu's as unnoticeable as possible and ran to the taijiya's side.

"What happened to you? You're soaked!" Sango cried worriedly as she darted her eyes from Kagome to Bankotsu. "And Bankotsu's soaked as well!"

"W-we just fell into the creek while taking a walk! It's nothing...really!" Kagome sweatdropped, trying to suppress a deep blush. "H-how about you? Did you manage to kill the demon?"

"Now that you ask...I'm exhausted and there's this terrible stain on my outfit. I had considered going to the creek to wash it myself, but on second thought, you might be the best person to do it since you've managed to get rid of every single stain until now," she told her.

Kagome took a quick glance at Bankotsu, who had tensed up a little just like her and turned back to Sango. "I-I'm glad you waited for me to wash it. You know that you're definitely not the type for washing or cleaning stuff," she smiled awkwardly. Actually, she couldn't be more relieved. Had her guardian gone to the creek earlier, she would most likely have bumped onto her and Bankotsu, plastered against each other next to the creek. Not that it would lead to a death sentence, but with an overprotective guardian like Sango, she would definitely hold a heavy trail against her and Bankotsu for the rest of the evening and probably the entire night.

"Well then, if you have a minute, I'll be right back with the soap and brush," she decided and quickly dashed inside, leaving the taijiya and the assassin behind.

"I guess you two won't be needing my presence at the creek, so I'll just take a nap inside until you two return," Bankotsu excused himself and followed Kagome into the house.

As soon as he entered, he closed the door behind him and turned to Kagome, who was searching for the soap. "That was scary, wasn't it?" he whispered.

"Shh, she might hear us in here!" she shushed him.

"Do you want to keep this from her forever?" he asked with a raised brow.

Kagome paused for a moment. "No of course not. It's just...now it's not the time...that's all..." she whispered back. "She's too-"

Bankotsu chuckled. "I know...sensitive...right?"

"It's not funny! I was really sca-"

Her voice got cut off when he suddenly hugged her from behind. "Now _you_ are raising your voice," he breathed in her ear.

Kagome relaxed in his embrace and placed a hand on his arm. "I'm sorry...I really want to tell her, but I can't. Not right now," she told him.

"I know Kagome. Just take your time, okay?" he said with a gentle voice.

"Thank you," she smiled. "But I need to go now or Sango will get suspicious."

He opened his embrace and let her go. "Be careful okay?" he said protectively. "If something goes wrong. Call out for me, I'll come running."

Before Kagome opened the door to leave, she turned over her shoulder to Bankotsu. "I know you will," she said happily and left the house.

.-.-.

Upon arriving at the creek, Kagome cheerfully made her way to the water with a bucket in her hands, containing a bottle of soap and a brush. "All right! Show me the stain and I'll get rid of it in a minute!" she said confidently.

When no response was given, she turned around, only to find the taijiya approaching her with a serious expression on her face.

"There is something I need to tell you," Sango said as she stopped in front of her and pulled out a paper envelope from underneath her black garb.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**:  
Pfew...I managed to post this chapter before the weekend ends. Things are getting really hectic from tomorrow on, because I've only got two weeks to write a nice report to conclude my research project. That can only mean one thing...I won't be able to update within a short time (i.e. 10 days). I'll try to post the next chapter before I go on holiday, but I can't promise anything, sorry! Hope you liked the chapter though!

Greets,

Kittymui

.-.-.-.

_'Italic'_: thoughts  
"...": spoken words  
.-.-.-.-.: time gap  
-CAPSLOCKED WORDS-: noises

.-.-.-.

**Next chapter: Chapter XXI**

.-.-.

I guess I won't have to tell you what's going to happen in the next chapter. But...in case you're wondering :), Sango's going to tell Kagome about her encounter with Inuyasha and then about the content of the letter that Sesshoumaru wrote. Kagome's going to tell Bankotsu about this too (of course without revealing her true identity) and Bankotsu will say that he'll wait for her...

.-.-.

**Vocabulary:**

**Hiraikotsu:** the large bone boomerang that Sango carries around.  
**aniue, aneue, chichi-ue, haha-ue:** a very respectful way to refer to your brother, sister, father and mother respectively.  
**hanyou: **half demon (mix blood)  
**-sama: **a suffix added to someone's name who you respect very much  
**yukata:** a traditional Japanese outfit worn by women during summer  
**haori: **a traditional Japanese piece of garment worn around the upper body by men

.-.-.-.

**REPLIES ON REVIEWS:**

**killerkitty1106:** Sorry about the cliffy! I hope you liked this chapter (with...another cliffy...ooops) hehehe :). Thanks for reviewing, I'm glad you like the story so far!

**shadows-insanity:** Thanks, I'll try!

**sessywuver: **Thank you! I'll try to update as soon as possible!

**Sirayme:** Thank you very much :)! I'm glad you liked it! Hope you liked this chapter as well!

**MadMood: **I always respond to reviews :) but you're very welcome! Thanks for reviewing!

**fallen-anqel: **Yeah ...sigh...I wonder if that'll happen to me someday...

**Wake-Robin: **I'm happy to hear you liked that scene. Actually I had a hard time writing it, I'm glad it turned out well :). Thanks for your review!

**Fluffy'sbabe: **Hahaha he's sly...but still very handsome! Thanks for telling me your name. I'll try to update asap!

**KaIkO-tHe-ShElL-dAuGhTeR: **He will in about 2 chapter :) don't worry! Thanks for reviewing!

**AnimeMoonlightGoddess:** I wish I could take Kagome's place :)!

**lady-joker: **Welcome back! Sorry that you didn't get to read two chapters, but I hope I've cheered you up with this fluffy one :)!

**Riyo-chan: **Thanks! I wish I could update more often but time is really slipping through my fingers lately...sigh...

**Yami Viper:** Wow thank you very much! I'm so happy to hear that! Hope you will continue reading this story to its end!

**Inukamisashi:** Yup! I'm looking forward to it, but before that I still have to write a huge report :). Thanks for reviewing! Hope you liked the chapter!

**Kyia:** Thanks for reviewing! Thanks for telling me that, I'll be sure to remember it for future stories :)!

**TatteredWings: **Pfew...I would have felt terribly guilty if my cliffy got you a heart attack...I sure hope the cliffy of this chapter wasn't capable of doing that. Thanks for reviewing!

Posted: 27 June 2005  
Last Edited: 27 June 2005  
Spelling check: YES

**DISCLAIMER: **I do not own Inuyasha or any characters of it. And I do not own whatever elements of this story that seem familiar and had already been used by other creative individuals before. But... I do own the idea of mixing all of these elements together into a new story!


	22. Chapter XXI

**A TALE FROM THE PAST**

by Kittymui

**CHAPTER XXI**

Kagome looked at Sango with widened eyes and a dumbfounded expression. The demon child that Sango had planned to kill turned out to be Inuyasha. Her little brother, who was still a baby when she first and last saw him, was ordered to create a havoc around the village to lure the taijiya out of their hiding place. It was unbelievable.

_'Could it be true...?'_ she thought to herself. After ten long years, she was being summoned back to the fortress for a short reunion to celebrate her birthday. If it was possible, they even wanted her to come home earlier to attend the preparations.

She snapped out of it when Sango walked closer to her. "This letter was given to me by Inuyasha-sama. He said it was for my eyes only, but I guess you have all reasons to look into it as well," she said as she handed over a paper envelope.

Kagome accepted it with both hands. She hesitatingly took out the letter and unfolded it until five columns of clear black characters were visible before her eyes. Gracefully written with a fine brush in a familiar handwriting, the words retold her the same message that she heard from her guardian. When her chestnut eyes landed on the name on the lower right corner, she could no more doubt its credibility. Her hand unconsciously drifted to the necklace around her neck and she turned to Sango. "When do we leave?" she asked.

Sango smiled. "Whenever you're ready to go, hime-sama."

Kagome thought for a second. "How long...will it take?"

"If we leave now, we might be able to arrive before the first month of autumn ends," explained the taijiya.

"That would be too soon...wouldn't it?" Kagome reasoned. "I mean...the shorter I stay inside the fortress, the smaller the chance for assassins to kill me there...right?"

"True..." was Sango's reply. She frowned when she noticed the strange look on Kagome's face. "Why are you so hesitant Kagome? Weren't you always dreaming about returning to the fortress?"

"Yes...I just..." she stammered as she fumbled her damp sleeve.

"By the way..." Sango said in respond to her awkward behavior. "What happened at the creek this afternoon? Why were both you and Bankotsu soaked?"

Kagome averted her gaze to hide a blush. "W-we fell into the creek. I already told you that, didn't I?"

Sango placed her hands on both sides of her waist. "Seriously Kagome. After living together for so many years, do you think that I wouldn't notice the difference between a lie and the truth? Now spill it girl. Did he do something inappropriate to you? If so, I'll personally k-"

"It wasn't his fault! It was me..." Kagome cut her off but eventually faltered without finishing the sentence. Her head went red like a strawberry when she realized how indecent that must have sounded. "No, I mean...uh...you see..."

The taijiya gave her an expecting look. "Okay, what were the two of you doing at the creek on the first place?"

"Bankotsu wanted to show me something," Kagome explained. "Something he found when he went swimming in the creek this morning."

"Aha! So you didn't fell into the creek!" Sango said unsurprised.

"Hear me out okay?" Kagome scowled. In the next couple of minutes, she explained everything that had happened from the moment she and Bankotsu fell into the water.

"You WHAT?" Sango exclaimed wide-eyed.

Kagome dropped her face in embarrassment. "I-I kissed him..."

Sango's expression turned serious. "You do realize that he's an assassin, don't you?"

"Yes, he already told me that he would leave once he's better because of a mission," Kagome said. "But he promised that he'll quit being an assassin and come back for me after completing it."

"Come back for you?" A stupefied look appeared on Sango's face. "What about your true identity? What are you going to tell your family?"

Kagome thought for a moment and dropped her gaze to the letter in her hand. "I'll tell Bankotsu when he comes back from his mission and then I'll return to the fortress with him," she decided. "I'll stay with Bankotsu no matter what my family says."

Hearing this, Sango softened her eyes. "You really care for him, don't you?"

Kagome nodded. "Yes, and he cares for me as well."

Sango approached her and placed a hand on her shoulder. "I guess you wouldn't listen to me whatever I say now, but I want you to know that I'm happy whenever you are," she smiled. "But how are you going to tell Bankotsu about leaving for the fortress without disclosing your identity?"

"I'll think of something," Kagome reasoned "Will it really take a month to return to the fortress?"

"Probably longer," her guardian replied. "The fortress is located far up north, if we were to travel from here to the fortress, our current amount of money wouldn't be enough. Not to mention that we'll have to leave some rations and money behind for Bankotsu."

"Do you think he'll be all right if we're away for so long?" Kagome asked worriedly.

"He's an assassin. He even managed to kill a demon with his handicap, he should be fine without us around for a while," Sango reassured her.

"I guess you're right..." Kagome nodded. Now that she had made sure about Bankotsu's well being, a strange excitement started to rise in her chest as she thought about seeing her family again. Over a month, she would be able to reunite with the ones she had missed for almost ten years. It was just like a dream coming true.

But first, she had to tell Bankotsu about this.

.-.-. back at the house .-.-.

Kagome stopped before the door and hesitated. After a deep breath, she finally pushed it open and entered.

"Kagome?"

It was Bankotsu who spoke. He was sitting against the wall in the back with Kirara resting on his lap.

"Kirara? Sango's at the creek waiting for you," Kagome said to the fire cat.

Kirara let out a small mew and made her way towards the door behind the princess.

"What's wrong?" Bankotsu asked after the fire cat left. Something inside him was telling him that Kagome had sent Kirara away on purpose.

Kagome walked towards the back wall and sat down next to him. She swallowed hard. _'This is it Kagome...there's no turning back now...just say what you have practiced back in the forest...'_ she told herself. "W-we received a message from my little brother," she finally said.

Bankotsu raised his brows in surprise. "Your little brother? You mean the one you and your sister had to abandon when you two escaped back then?"

Kagome dropped her face. While she should be happy that he had remembered what she told him some time ago, she felt rather guilty for having him remember a lie. "Y-yeah," she replied.

"That's wonderful!" the assassin cheered happily. "What did he say?"

"He said that he's doing fine and that he was adopted by a wealthy family in the North," replied Kagome, trying to sound as certain as possible.

"And?" Bankotsu noticed that it wasn't the end of the sentence.

"He also said he wanted a family reunion," she added hesitatingly.

"That's great Kagome! You three shall finally be together again!" he smiled, but dropped the cheerfulness when he realized he was the only one being happy about it. "What's the matter Kagome? Why aren't you happy about it?" he asked her.

"He lives all the way North...it will be a long travel..." Kagome told him.

Bankotsu raised a brow. "Are you afraid? But Sango's there with you right?" He was surprised when a sudden weight landed on his right shoulder. "Kagome?" he asked as the familiar spring rain scent rushed up his nose.

"It's not that..." she wailed as she clasped his right sleeve.

Instinctively, Bankotsu wrapped his arms around her and made her sit between his outstretched legs with her body leaning sideward against his chest. "Then what is it Kagome?"

Kagome sunk into her own thoughts as she listened to Bankotsu's calm heartbeat. _'Calm down Kagome...what you're telling him isn't completely a lie...'_ she told herself inwardly. _'Inuyasha is really living in the North right now and he did ask for a family reunion...' _

After gathering some courage, she began to speak again. "If they ask us to live with them...what do I do?"

She felt his chin placed on top of her head.

"Silly girl," he said with a gentle voice. "Do you think I will give up on you that easily? Unless you tell me I shouldn't, I would comb through the entire Japan to find you."

Kagome smiled sadly. "Sweet talk...how do you intend to find me? You don't even look how I look like."

His embrace grew tighter. "I will find you Kagome. I promise."

"I wish you could come with us..." she murmured softly.

Bankotsu let out an inaudible sigh. "It's not possible. If I move at the same time as my companions, they won't be able to find me."

"I know..." Kagome pulled away a little to look at his face. "But what if your companions find you here while I'm gone?"

Bankotsu thought for a moment. "Then let us make another promise," he suggested. "Let us meet here at this place on the last day of autumn. I promise that as long as there's still strength residing in these legs, I'll come running back h-."

Kagome silenced him with a chaste kiss. "You sound as if you're going to die...I don't want that," she said as she pulled away.

Bankotsu cupped her cheek. "I'm not going to die Kagome. Not before I've seen your face with my own eyes," he said determinedly.

With a warm smile on her face, Kagome settled back against his chest. "I'll wait for you."

As they stayed in that position, the fatigue of this afternoon began to catch up with them and they drifted into a deep sleep.

.-.-. couple of days later .-.-.

Bankotsu let out a deep sigh as he floated on his back on the water.

It's already been two days since Kagome left and he was really beginning to miss her. He missed her body against his and her spring rain scent.

He smirked as he remembered the day they had to leave. He realized that had the taijiya not interrupted them, he probably wouldn't have let her go from his embrace.

Fate really was a strange thing. About three months ago, he was convinced that he was going to die with two of his companions taken as hostages, ambushed by old enemies and robbed of his ability to see. From the moment he became an assassin, he had decided never to think about living a peaceful life again. And yet, Fate had to make him meet Kagome, who cared for him regardless of who he was. Because of her, he actually wanted to live a peaceful life again.

His thoughts were abruptly cut off when some nearby bushes rustled suspiciously.

Bankotsu immediately let himself sink underwater until he touched the bottom of the creek. With all his might, he set off with his feet and shot out of the water towards the bank, where his halberd lied.

"Show yourself!" he shouted as he swung the weapon towards the bushes. The halberd cut through the thin branches of the bushes and crashed into the earth with a thump.

"Woah!" a voice cried surprised.

Bankotsu raised a brow as his ears twitched at the voice. _'This voice...'_

"Your sharp senses never cease to amaze me leader," another voice commented from the same direction.

Bankotsu recognized the voice and widened his eyes. "Renkotsu!"

"Yo! Don't forget about us!"

"Yeah!"

"Jakotsu and Mukotsu too?" Bankotsu exclaimed stupefied. "But how?"

The footsteps became louder with each second and they stopped right before him.

"It's good to see you alive and well," Renkotsu said relieved. "Sorry to have interrupted your relaxing bath."

"Humorous as always huh?" Bankotsu retorted as he knelt down and searched around for his robe with his hands.

"What's wrong with your eyes?" Jakotsu asked worriedly.

At the same time, Bankotsu finally found his haori and straightened up again with an annoyed grunt in respond. Without saying anything, he walked into the direction where he had thrown his halberd and pulled the weapon out of the earth with his free hand. He placed it on his shoulder before turning to his companions again. "Let's go back to the house first..." he suggested and turned to leave.

.-.-.

After the five of them settled down on the wooden floor of the small house, Bankotsu was the first one to speak. "Tell me, how did you guys manage to find me here?" he asked. "Moreover, how did you escape from the ambush?"

Suikotsu was the one who replied. "When I came back from exploring the area, I found the cave filled with snakes. First thing I did was open a path, but when I managed to do so, you were already nowhere to be found."

"We eventually managed to drive away the snakes. As soon as the sun came up, we started to search around for you," Jakotsu continued. "We even stayed at the gathering place for a couple of weeks, hoping you would show up again. But you never came, so we eventually decided to leave the cave."

"You have no idea how hard it was to search for you while keeping a low profile. Honestly, this would be the last place we expect you to be, but Jakotsu insisted, so we decided to take a look," Suikotsu explained. "And I'm glad we did."

"Yeah, we almost thought you were dead..." Renkotsu added, but faltered when he realized how rude it sounded and quickly picked up the sentence in another tone. "Anyhow, we're so glad to see you're okay. You've found a pretty good hiding place for yourself."

"I didn't find it," Bankotsu responded. "To be honest with you, I'd almost died three months ago, but I was saved. Although my eyes are still not able to see, I've healed pretty well."

"What happened?" Suikotsu asked.

"When I dashed out of the cave during the ambush, some snake spat into my eyes and pushed me off of the cliff," Bankotsu frowned. "Not knowing what kind of snake it was, we couldn't get rid of the poison from my body. We were only able to prevent it from destroying my vision completely."

He turned to where Mukotsu should be sitting. "Since you're a poison user, you should be able to find a way to cure me, right?"

"Heh, some snake poison wouldn't be able to stop me Mukotsu," Mukotsu snorted confidently, as he walked closer and examined Bankotsu's eyes.

"By the way leader," Suikotsu suddenly said. "Who's the 'we' you're referring to?"

Bankotsu refrained himself from raising a brow as his eyes was being examined. "What do you mean?"

"You said 'we' a moment ago, when you were telling us about the cause of your blindness, who did you refer to?"

"Oh that," Bankotsu said. "I meant the girl and her sister who saved me."

"Hmm," Mukotsu finished analyzing and backed away. "I'd say they did a wonderful job in protecting your vision. A week will be enough for me to make the antidote."

Bankotsu let out a relieved sigh and smirked. "I'm counting on you then."

"Two girls?" Suikotsu continued. "Where are they now?"

Bankotsu scowled at his companion's curiosity and replied with a dead silence.

"Woah, Bankotsu is becoming protective all of a sudden," Renkotsu laughed. "You'd better back off Suikotsu."

Suikotsu laughed along. "We're just joking...I'm sure our leader wouldn't mind that...right?"

But Bankotsu's expression remained unchanged as he parted his lips again. "I'm going to disband the Shichinintai."

The rest of the group dropped their jaws.

"WHA-AT!"

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**:  
Hey everybody! Sorry for the long wait and short chapter. I've been in Hong Kong for the past month for holiday as well as family visit. Besides that, I've got a very important presentation on the 24th of August (it's going to determine whether I can get my Bachelor degree or not), so the next chapter will take some time to be updated as well. However, I can promise you that it won't take as long as two weeks, so don't worry. 

Greets,

Kittymui

.-.-.-.

_'Italic'_: thoughts  
"...": spoken words  
.-.-.-.-.: time gap  
-CAPSLOCKED WORDS-: noises

.-.-.-.

**Next chapter: Chapter XXII**

.-.-.

Now that Bankotsu has announced about disbanding the Shichinintai, how will the rest of the group react to this? Will they understand his reasons? Besides this, it's time to plan how to assassinate the princess of the Western Lands.

.-.-.

**Vocabulary:**

hime-sama: princess, -sama is a honorific suffix.  
taijiya: exterminator  
Shichinintai: a group of assassins led by Bankotsu, literally means 'seven-man-group'.

.-.-.-.

**REPLIES TO REVIEWS:**

When I came back from Hong Kong, I was shocked at the amount of reviews I received for the previous chapter. It's the first time that I received so many for one chapter, it was completely beyond my expectations. I'm so happy to know that so many readers like this story of mine. I want to thank all of you who have reviewed and supported my story so far :). No matter how long or short the reviews, I appreciate them all! Thank you very much! I'm very sorry that I can't reply all these wonderful reviews in this chapter due to the lack of time; I hope you'll forgive me!

Posted: 15 August 2005  
Last Edited: 15 August 2005  
Spelling check: YES

**DISCLAIMER: **I do not own Inuyasha or any characters of it. And I do not own whatever elements of this story that seem familiar and had already been used by other creative individuals before. But... I do own the idea of mixing all of these elements together into a new story!


	23. Chapter XXII

**A TALE FROM THE PAST**

by Kittymui

**CHAPTER XXII**

"Hey."

"Bankotsu perked up his head, but refused to turn to the voice, which belonged to Jakotsu. "How are they?" he inquired his approaching companion, who sat down on the grass beside him.

"Stupefied, frustrated and confused," was Jakotsu's reply.

"Can't really blame them, can I?" Bankotsu grimaced.

His rhetorical question remained unanswered as the soft noises of the night accompanied the awkward silence.

"You're not really going to disband the group because of a bad joke...right?" Jakotsu asked after a while.

A soft breeze made the trees sigh along with Bankotsu as he turned around. "Tell me Jakotsu, am I really that cruel?"

"No...I believe that you have yet to tell us your true reasons."

Bankotsu became silent for a moment, but eventually decided to tell his friend. "The girl and her sister...I didn't kill them..."

"Huh...? But aren't you afraid that they'll betray you and turn you in?" Jakotsu asked surprised. "We're unwanted guests here and with a deadly motive."

"They won't. I can guarantee it with my life." Bankotsu reassured him. "Besides, they only know that I'm the leader of an assassin group."

"Look, I don't know what happened in the past three months that made you make such a radical decision, but you shouldn't forget about Kyoukotsu and Ginkotsu," his friend argued.

Bankotsu scowled. "I haven't," he grumbled. "I may have decided to quit, but that doesn't mean I'm going to abandon Kyoukotsu and Ginkotsu. I will carry out this last mission with full responsibility."

"If you don't mind me asking, why have you made such a decision?" Jakotsu asked.

Silence.

"It's the girl...isn't it?"

Bankotsu turned to him. "Remember that I once told about leading a peaceful life?"

"Yeah, you also said it was just a silly dream," Jakotsu reminded him.

He smiled. "Yes, but now I realize that it can also come true," he told him.

"Call me selfish or whatever you like for thinking that way, but I can tell you that I've never been so sure in my life before about a decision," he continued. "The girl nursed me and supported me while knowing what kind of person I was. I never thought I would be able to meet a girl who would care for me despite of my sins, but there she was. It was like a gift from heaven."

Another hush fell between them as Bankotsu thought about the memories he shared with Kagome, but he was interrupted when Jakotsu suddenly spoke again.

"You know," he began sadly. "For a moment back there, I had hoped you were just joking. But now, I realize that nothing I or the others say would change your mind."

"I'm sorry..." was the only thing Bankotsu could say.

"Don't be," said his friend. "Just because you are an assassin doesn't mean you don't have the right to lead a normal life."

Bankotsu raised his brows. "You aren't angry?" He was surprised to feel his friend's hand on his shoulder.

"Don't be silly," he heard him say. "I'm happy for you that you've actually found a goal in life."

Bankotsu gave him a puzzled look. "Goal?"

"Of course! You're not thinking of staying an assassin for the rest of your life, are you? We're humans, not demons. We're pretty useless once we've reached the age of sixty," Jakotsu reasoned. "Except for Ginkotsu and Kyoukotsu of course."

"I guess you're right," Bankotsu agreed. "I'm glad you understand. I just hope the rest w-"

"Don't worry about it," his friend reassured him. "The rest might be confused at the moment, but I'm sure they'll understand someday."

"Thanks," he smiled gratefully.

"You've changed," said Jakotsu, sounding a bit disappointed. "Where's the confident Bankotsu I used to know? Has these three months time really changed your personality? We still need our leader to guide us to victory for this one last mission."

"Probably..." Bankotsu started laughing and Jakotsu joined shortly.

When their laughter faltered, Jakotsu turned to Bankotsu again. "What if this mission takes too long? Have you thought about that? Won't the girl just forget about you?"

"She won't," Bankotsu responded with a determined smile. Shortly after that, his expression became serious. "To save time, I'll have you and Suikotsu gather some information for me while I'm recovering."

"Will do," Jakotsu acknowledged and stood up again. "I'm going back inside, are you coming too?"

Bankotsu shook his head. "I'm going to stay outside for a little while longer."

"Okay." With that, Jakotsu left his company and went back inside.

After the sound of the door closing, Bankotsu inhaled a breath of fresh forest air and exhaled deeply. _'I just wish it would be over soon...' _ he thought to himself. _'I wonder what Kagome is doing right now...'_

A couple of minutes later, he decided to go back inside as well.

.-.-. one week later .-.-.

He waited patiently as Mukotsu carefully removed the bandage around his eyes.

When the last bit of fabric left his skin, a sudden chill ran down his spine. _'What if the antidote didn't work? What if everything's just as pitch black as before...? What would I do?'_ he thought nervously.

"Try opening your eyes," he heard Mukotsu say.

Reluctantly, Bankotsu slowly lifted his eyelids. He blinked several times and rolled his eyes in all directions.

"I've covered the window with a blanket, so you shouldn't have to worry about the bright sunlight."

"Everything's so blurry," Bankotsu said annoyed.

"It's normal," Mukotsu told him. "After all, you haven't used your eyes for more than three months, so it's natural that they have to get used to it again."

Renkotsu, who was cleaning Bankotsu's halberd, put down the weapon and sat down on the floor next to him. "Hey, can you see what I'm doing?" he asked as he waved his hand.

Bankotsu scowled at the moving object in front of his eyes and slapped it away. "Cut it out!" he snapped angrily. "I'm already pissed because of my blurred vision. One more bad joke from you and I'll make you regret it!"

Renkotsu immediately retracted his hand again.

Mukotsu placed a hand on Bankotsu shoulder to calm him down. "Don't worry leader, your vision won't stay blurred for long. Give it a couple of days and you'll be able to see just like every other normal person."

Bankotsu's eyes softened as he subdued his temper. _'Mukotsu's right...I should be relieved that his medicine actually worked...'_ he thought and turned to his companion. "Thank you Mukotsu," he said with a smile. "I cannot imagine what I would do without you."

"Don't say that," Mukotsu responded. "It's nothing compared to what you've done for us."

"Yeah," Renkotsu agreed.

"Aren't you angry at me? I'm going to disband the group after this mission," Bankotsu reminded them.

Renkotsu chuckled. "Not that I like it, but I respect your decision. You're a great leader and a reliable friend. I have never doubted any of your decisions, so this time won't be an exception."

"Besides," Mukotsu added. "It's not like we're never going to see each other again, so there's no reason to stay depressed or angry."

"Thanks guys, I really don't know what to say..." Bankotsu smiled awkwardly. _'So Jakotsu didn't tell the rest my true reasons...'_ he concluded inwardly.

"You don't have to," the poison user said. "You've already done a lot for us, you know. Had it not been for you, I would probably have died a long time ago."

"But Kyoukotsu and Ginkotsu...because of my decision they-" Bankotsu argued, but was cut off by Renkotsu.

"You don't sound like your usual self Bankotsu," he grumbled annoyed. "You're our leader until the mission's over remember? Now act like one! The Bankotsu I know does not ever regret the decisions he makes for the rest of the group!"

Bankotsu dropped his face and smirked. _'He's right. Kagome may have softened my heart, but that's the last thing I need right now if I want to complete this mission quickly and efficiently. Kyoukotsu and Ginkotsu are also waiting for me...' _he told himself inwardly.

Just when he was about to say something in respond, the sound of the door opening interrupted him.

"We're back!" Jakotsu and Suikotsu's voice echoed through the house.

"How did it go?" Bankotsu asked.

"More importantly, how are your eyes leader?" It was Jakotsu who asked. Both Jakotsu and Suikotsu settled down, forming a circle with the rest of the group.

"I can't see well, but it's only a matter of time according to Mukotsu," he replied.

"That's good to hear," Suikotsu said relieved.

"That aside, have you gathered the information I asked for?" Bankotsu asked with a serious face.

"It took us some time, but we got the information you wanted," Suikotsu replied.

Bankotsu raised a brow. "Without any bloodshed I hope?"

"Of course not!" Jakotsu cried. "We did it just like you told us to."

Bankotsu relaxed a bit after hearing this and continued the questioning. "So? What did you find out?"

Suikotsu cleared his throat. "We found out that the princess of the West is celebrating her birthday in mid-autumn. The villagers told us that a lot of people would gather at the fortress to give their thanks to her on that day."

"We figured it would be a great opportunity for us to intermingle with the crowd and sneak into the place," Jakotsu added. "So we decided to return as soon as we got this piece of information."

"Good job," Bankotsu complimented satisfied. "How long does it take us to arrive at the fortress?"

"When we explored the Northern region during our search for you, we had coincidentally discovered the location of the fortress," Jakotsu explained. "Considering the time it took us to get here from there, we will be able to arrive at our destination a little bit before our target's birthday if we leave in a week."

"A week huh?" Bankotsu thought for a moment. "All right! It's decided then. We'll set off as soon as I've completely recovered, and we'll start making preparations for the assassination once we've arrived at the fortress."

"Understood!" the rest nodded in harmony.

.-.-. a couple of days later .-.-.

Bankotsu took one last look at the house. The walls, the floor and even the furniture were just like he had imagined them to be. It was small, but it had everything you needed to call it a home.

He could still remember the time, three months ago, when he woke up and found out that his eyes were malfunctioning. That was how he first met Kagome. He had totally surprised her when he suddenly pinned her down to the floor and demanded some answers. A small smile formed on his lips as he imagined how the look on her face would be at that moment.

He sighed. There it was again, the desire to hold her close to him and to inhale her sweet scent of spring rain. He longed for the last day of autumn, but more than anything else, he wanted to see the girl who conquered his heart and moved his soul. But the happy thoughts faded away as soon as they came as he reminded himself of the duty that awaited him.

"Bankotsu?"

Bankotsu turned to his side, only to find Jakotsu standing next to him. "What is it?"

Jakotsu pulled a small pile of paper, which was bound together with a small rope along one edge, from behind his haori and handed over to him. "I meant to give it to you as soon as I find you, but I guess it kind of slipped my mind," he said. "I found it near the cave where we were ambushed, you probably dropped it before falling off of the cliff."

Bankotsu recognized his journal and took it with gratitude. "Thanks."

With the journal in his hand, he walked over one of the cabinets.

"What are you doing?" his companion asked curiously.

"I'm going to leave this journal here and start a new one on the way," he replied as he searched the shelves for a suitable place.

Immediately, his eyes caught a small brown box at one of the lower shelves and he knelt down to examine it. After removing the slightly dusted lid, he found a pile of booklets inside. Each booklet was protected by a front and back cover made of leather and bound alongside the left edge with a thin leather rope.

_'Is this...?'_ he thought as he picked up the top booklet, but suddenly stopped halfway and smiled. _'I won't read it Kagome. I want you to tell me yourself when we meet again...'_ he said in his thoughts as he put the booklet back. After a moment of thinking, he put his journal in the box too before moving back the lid. _'I'm sure you'll agree with me...won't you?'_

That decided, Bankotsu stood up and turned to Jakotsu again. "Are we all set?"

"Yeah," Jakotsu nodded.

"Then let's go."

Once outside, Bankotsu closed the door behind him. Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw Mukotsu's questioning look and turned to him. "What's wrong?" he asked.

"What do we do about the house?" the poison user asked as he slightly adjusted the straps on his shoulders, which belonged to the small wooden box he carried on his back.

"We'll leave it like this," he said coolly as he walked away from the house.

The rest moved with him, except for Renkotsu, who refused to look away from the fragile dwelling. "But why? I could burn it to the ground with one blow. It's not like the owners would be coming back or something," he pouted as he held onto his gourd that hung around his waist.

This definitely hit a nerve and before he could raise the gourd to his mouth, it split in two and fell to the grass.

"What the-!" he cried shocked, but when he turned to look aside, he found a halberd's blade only a breath away from his neck. At the other end of the weapon, he found Bankotsu looking at him with a very annoyed expression.

"Keep the destructive ideas to yourself or I'll remove you from the group in advance," he snarled.

Jakotsu separated the two as he pulled Renkotsu away from the blade. "Use your head Renkotsu! If you set a fire here, it'll draw unnecessary attention!" he scolded his fellow group member.

"G-got that," Renkotsu gulped and turned to Bankotsu. "S-sorry about that, I guess the excitement just took over."

Bankotsu placed his halberd back onto his shoulder and turned his back to him. "Keep your emotions at bay until we've arrived at the fortress. I don't want any stupid mistakes ruining the mission, so I make myself clear?"

"Y-yessir!"

And so, under the supervision of Bankotsu, the group began to leave the house and move towards the North.

_'Wait for me Kagome, I'll end this as soon as possible and return to your side...' _

.-.-.-.

"Here you go."

Kagome looked up, only to find her guardian standing beside her with a flask made of bamboo shoot in her hand.

"Thanks," she smiled, taking the container into her hand.

It's been about two weeks since they left their hiding spot and they were already running low on money. Her guardian told her that they still had a long way to travel. If they kept this pace, they would surely arrive a week or two before her birthday.

_'We should have travelled a quarter of the journey by now...'_ she reasoned inwardly a she counted the days.

"What are you doing?" Sango asked curiously, pointing at the long leaves of grass that lay on the ground next to Kagome.

Kagome handed over the bamboo shoot and wiped the water from corners of her lips. "I'm making a grasshopper," she replied.

The taijiya looked at her with widened eyes as she knelt down to her. "You can make a grasshopper from a piece of grass?"

She nodded. "My father taught me when I was little. I was much faster back then. I guess these things really slip away with time."

"But why are you suddenly making them again?" Sango asked.

"I can sell them when we cross a village. It won't be much but it'll be able to solve our money problem a little," she told her while working with the long green leaf in her hands.

With her delicate fingers, she carefully tore apart the wide leaf along its nerves, but stopped before it was completely torn. After looping some of the thinner strands through specific holes and folding some parts, she created the head and the body of the insect.

Sango dropped her jaw. "Sugoi..." she gasped astonished.

A couple of minutes later, the feelers and legs were added to the small grasshopper.

"Done!" Kagome smiled as she held up the small green insect.

"Unbelievable!" the taijiya said while examining the fragile handicraft. "I bet the children would love this!"

Kagome stretched her arms and fingers and stood up again. "All right! We've rested enough!" she said as she beat the dirt from her blue yukata. "Kirara?"

In respond to her calling, the fire cat jumped out of the bushes and landed before her in her transformed version. "I'll make some more on the way. Hop on Sango!" she said as she ascended Kirara's back.

"Whatever you say princess," Sango smiled and hopped on behind with her large boomerang on her back.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**:  
It took me a while to get this posted. I'm terribly sorry about that! Anyway, I do have some good news :). My supervisor gave me a 8.5 for my research project (on a scale of 1 to 10)! He told me that there was no need for a presentation since he already viewed my system and read my report so we only had an evaluative talk on wednesday. Anyway, now I have enough study points to get my Bachelor degree and I will continue with a master program in September. When school starts, I'll travel a lot by train (four days in a week) and since my muses only cooperate with me during trips by train, I'll be able to update the story more frequently. Good news right?

Greets,

Kittymui

.-.-.-.

_'Italic'_: thoughts  
"...": spoken words  
.-.-.-.-.: time gap  
-CAPSLOCKED WORDS-: noises

.-.-.-.

**Next chapter: Chapter XXIII**

.-.-.

Hope you liked this chapter :). We'll make a huge time jump between this and the next chapter since I've got nothing special planned during the journey towards the fortress. The next chapter will start with Kagome and Sango arriving at their destination. How will Sesshoumaru react to this? Will he recognize Kagome? Please look forward to the next chapter!

.-.-.

**Vocabulary:**

haori: traditional Japanese robe worn by men (upper body)  
taijiya: (demon) exterminator  
sugoi: amazing  
yukata: a traditional Japanese garment worn by women during summer

.-.-.-.

**REPLIES TO REVIEWS:**

Shortie630: Thank you very much! I'm glad you liked it!

Gray Hoody: I'm glad you loved it! HongKong was very hot (as usual during summer) but it was great to see the rest of the family again after 3 years. The food and clothes are cheap compared to Holland :). Haha, in the normal series, Jakotsu would probably have gotten angry, but in this Alternate Universe and with most characters Out of Character, I just made Jakotsu the most compassionate person of the group because of his friendship with Bankotsu. This would make things less complicated, so I thought.

Schwarz Stein: Thanks!

thunder sister: Oops, it seems that you're expectation is going to come true :).

aNiMaAyAnGeL: Thanks a lot! I'm so happy to hear that! Hope you liked this chapter as well! Be sure to tell me if you find any good Bankotsu stories (I'm searching for them too actually haha).

Kitsune6: Inuyasha respects his brother and sister very much in this story yes. In the anime series I watched where royalty is concerned, siblings refer to each other this way, that's why I used that here. Thanks for reviewing.

Ele Goddess of Elements: Thank you! Don't worry, no matter how long or short the review, I appreciate them all. Except for flames that are not grounded of course :).

SusArackAhack: Thanks!

Inoure: Wow! It's been a while since I've received cookies from readers, thanks! munch munch...

queen mwa: Thank you!

sesshomaruobsessed: I'll try to update as soon as possible! Thanks for reviewing! Haha my mother once said that I should become an author in the future. But I think it's hard to come up with original characters.

AnimeSiren: I made them slightly nicer than you expected hehehe, hope you didn't mind :). I wouldn't want the whole group to be against or angry at Bankotsu, they still need to accomplish the mission, that's why. Thanks for reviewing!

kitsune-cub: I'll do my best!

gurlhushere13: Thanks! I'll try!

miss lady death: Thank you very much! I tend to let readers hang quite a lot...sorry about that :) hehehe. I'll try to update as soon as possible!

xBankotsu's Girlx: Thanks!

TamiaEternity: Don't worry about that! I'm glad you review once in a while to let me know you're still following the story!

sangotaku6: It's nice to hear that hehe. I hope I'm inspiring readers to write more Ban/Kag stories because there are so little of them right now.

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LadyRedEyes: Yup, here it is! Thanks for reviewing! The next chapter will be posted a bit quicker than this one hopefully, be sure to read it ne?

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sesshieobsessed: It's okay! Glad you reviewed :)! Review once in a while to let me know that you're still following the story ne? Thanks!

Dark Neko17: Hahaha, I never abandon my stories before they're finished. Unless I have something urgent to attend to or holiday, I update every 1 or 2 weeks. Thanks for reviewing!

Inukamisashi: I will!

Skitzoflame: Nope, he sure didn't :)!

Kuroe: Haha yup, he sure is awesome! I'll try to update ASAP!

Schwarz Stein: I'm honored that you're asking me, thanks! I'll email you once I've finished some administrative work for school!

DanniMarie: Wow, thanks! I'm so happy to hear that! I got some important things to attend to last week so this chapter came a bit later than usual, but I'll update quicker next time!

Sirayme: Thanks! I really enjoyed the time I spent in Hong Kong and although there was no presentation, the evaluative talk was great :)!

tidusXyuna637: Thank you!

Murasaki White Flame Fox: I didn't know that actually. Yup, we're getting near the end of the book indeed hehehe, but the story won't end there :)!

BelleDayNight: There was no presentation actually, but thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter. I like it when you describe it that way...the end of the beginning hahaha. Just wait and see ne?

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Posted: 28 August 2005  
Last Edited: 28 August 2005  
Spelling check: YES

**DISCLAIMER: **I do not own Inuyasha or any characters of it. And I do not own whatever elements of this story that seem familiar and had already been used by other creative individuals before. But... I do own the idea of mixing all of these elements together into a new story!


	24. Chapter XXIII

**A TALE FROM THE PAST**

by Kittymui

**CHAPTER XXIII**

"You sure you don't want Kirara to carry you?"

Kagome shook her head. "I want to feel the distance with my own feet."

Her guardian gave her a puzzled expression. "But it's only a couple of yards."

"The more reason I should walk," she smiled.

Unable to comprehend what she meant, Sango shrugged and continued to walk in silence.

"There is it," she said when a large infrastructure came into view.

Kagome looked up and shielded her eyes from the sun as she left the protective shadows of the trees. They've been traveling for nearly two months now and they've finally reached their destination. Still unbelievable, but there it was...the fortress she had left ten years ago.

As nostalgia consumed her mind, Kagome didn't realize that she had quickened her pace. Within minutes, she was already standing before the open gates.

"Hold it right there!"

She snapped out of the trance and suddenly noticed that two guards were approaching her. Both of them looked in their thirties and were dressed in white and navy blue. While one of them had short spiked hair, the other one had his hair tied into a short ponytail at the back of his head.

"Who are you? What business do you have here?" the one with the ponytail demanded with a low voice.

With their strict interrogation and imposing posture, Kagome completely forgot about her identity and took a step backwards.

Just when the guards were about to approach her again, Sango slipped in between with Kirara right behind her. "Stop it!" she snapped to the two.

"Who the hell are you!" the guard with spiked hair grumbled.

"I'm her guardian, I'll do the talking in her place," Sango snarled.

"Cocky aren't we?" he scowled. "What business do you have at the fortress of the West?"

"Your lord summoned us," she told them haughtily. "Tell him that the taijiya has arrived and he'll know who you're talking about."

"The taijiya huh?" he snorted and turned to his partner. "Go inform the lord about this."

"Hai!" the other guard acknowledged. After he disappeared into the building behind the large garden, the guard with spiked hair turned to them again. "Don't try anything stupid now. I'll be watching you," he warned and retreated to his post again next to the gate.

Sango sighed annoyed and she whispered over her shoulder. "Once we see your father, remind me to tell him about these unmannered guards okay?"

The taijiya frowned when nobody responded and turned around completely, only to realize that Kagome had disappeared.

_'Oh dear...' _ she thought to herself.

.-.-.-.

So much time had passed and yet she felt like she had never been away from the place as she walked over the stone path through the garden. The house, the path and even the trees had remained unchanged, except for the color of their leaves. Even though she was mostly surrounded by trees in the past years, she had never really studied the various colors of the leaves during fall like she was now. She had always thought that the forests during this season were the most prettiest because of these colorful leaves, and yet, it is this season that the trees try their hardest to get rid of them. She pitied them, and so did the setting sun, which gave them pretty red coats before they fell into the shadows of the walls.

A moment later, she found herself standing in the small garden of the left part of the fortress. Once again, she had managed to slip pass the patrolling guards without getting caught. As another wave of nostalgia flowed into her thoughts, she suddenly felt tears brimming her eyes.

"What are you doing here?"

The low voice startled her and she darted her eyes to the speaker.

Her eyes widened when they made contact with a familiar pair of gold amber orbs.

As the owner of these eyes approached her and stopped at a proper distance, she realized she had begun to stare at him.

Their difference in height didn't change much, as he was still one head taller than she was. But his eyes have become more slit and his face longer than the last time she saw him. His silvery white hair was now long enough to reach below his back. Besides his usual outfit and armor, she noticed something new hanging around his waist.

One of the two swords, which their father used to carry around, was now secured to his waist with a long yellow sash.

A small smile formed on her lips as her eyes traveled upward alongside the white tail that was resting on left shoulder. How could she possible forget about her favorite pillow? So she thought as her smile grew into a soft giggle.

However, the happy memories vanished into nothingness and her smile dropped as soon as the second question reached her ears.

"Who are you?"

To anybody else, it might have been a normal question, but to her it couldn't be crueler. Especially when it came from him.

.-.-.

Sesshoumaru froze when he saw a droplet rolling down her soft pink cheek. Was it something he said?

In a couple of seconds time, the strange girl had gone from a smile and giggle to a face of shock and sadness. How was it possible that one's emotions could be so unpredictable?

Now that he thought about it, he had experienced a similar situation before. But when? And with whom? Why was her sad and teary face even bothering him? After all, she was just a stranger...was she not?

He could not deny that he was slightly surprised by her beauty when she turned to him earlier, but why was he at a loss for words? Normally, when he came across these so-called 'lost' humans, he would coldly drive them away, but why is it that he failed to bring up any of these manners towards this girl? Did he know her? Even her scent seemed sort of...familiar...

The thought started to make him nervous and he quickly shook it off again. The only humans he was acquainted with were the guards of this castle, his mother, Kagome and the guardian he entrusted her to.

He turned to look at the human girl again, only to find her looking down to the floor. In the peripheral area of his eyes, he suddenly caught something below her chin reflecting the red rays of the sun. He took several steps closer to get a better view of what the girl was wearing around her neck and abruptly stopped within arm reach. _'Is that...'_ he thought shocked at the sight of three canine fangs on a leather cord. He shifted back to look at her face. _ 'Kagome...?'_ he thought with widened eyes.

He eyed the necklace again. There was no mistaking it. This was the necklace he gave Kagome on the day she left.

Without giving it another thought, he reached out his arms and pulled the girl to him.

.-.-.

Kagome widened her eyes and gasped when she suddenly found herself in the demon's arms.

"S-Sesshoumaru...onii-sama..." she said softly. There was this strange kind of happiness rising in her stomach as she called his name. It was similar to the feeling of having found what's been lost for years.

The dog demon tightened his embrace in response. When was the last time he had heard someone call him that way? "I'm so sorry. I should have known..." he whispered with guilt in his voice.

Kagome shook her head in his chest. "It's okay...it's been ten years after all..." she whispered back.

"Kagome," he called out her name as he slowly let go of her again and gazed down at her. He gently dried the corners of her eyes with his thumb and cupped her cheek with a clawed hand.

Kagome widened her eyes and smiled as tears started to roll again. "T-tadaima," she sobbed.

Both of them stared into each other's eyes and stood like that for a moment until a voice suddenly broke the silence.

"Mou aniue, are you bullying humans again?"

The two of them looked up and watched a silver-haired boy in red land on the grass at a distance.

.-.-.

Inuyasha knew something was different when he sniffed the air. There was an intruder near Sesshoumaru's quarters. Without further thinking, he quickly jumped into the air towards the left part of the fortress. _'Let's hope I'll make it in time...' _he prayed inwardly as he recalled the fate of those that had accidentally ended up in the dog demon's garden in the past. While soaring through the sky, he caught a glimpse of silver below and realized that the full blood demon had already arrived. A quick glance at the intruder made him realize that it was actually a girl. The saltiness in the air also told him that she had been crying and he put up an annoyed face.

"Mou aniue, are you bullying humans again?" he cried angrily as he landed onto the grass not very far away from them. "It's not her fault that she's curious about our fortress," he argued as he walked up to his brother. "Why can't you send her away in a more polite way?"

Sesshoumaru responded with a raised brow. "I'm not sending her away," he replied dully.

Inuyasha frowned in puzzlement. "You're not? Then why-"

"Inuyasha?"

He immediately shifted to look at the girl beside Sesshoumaru. "How did you...?" he asked, but stopped when realizations struck him. "A-aneue?"

Kagome burst into tears and knelt down to hug her little brother.

"What's wrong aneue? Why are you crying? Are you hurt?" Inuyasha asked confused as he pulled at her sleeve.

She pulled away and wiped the tears with the back of her hands. "N-no silly, I'm fine," she sniffed. "I'm just happy."

"Heh?" the hanyou looked at her with question marks all over his face.

Kagome laughed as she dried the last bit of wetness on her cheeks. "Look, I'm not crying anymore. I'm smiling."

"Kagome!" A voice suddenly cried from a distance.

The three turned to the voice, only to find Sango running towards them.

"Sango!" Kagome waved at her guardian.

Sango stopped before them and bowed politely to Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha. "Good day Sesshoumaru-sama, Inuyasha-sama," she greeted and turned to Kagome with a calm face. "Hime-sama. You scared me back there when you suddenly disappeared!"

_'Eh...? Did she just...?'_ Kagome thought surprised. She had definitely expected the taijiya to scold her for running off like that. "S-sorry...I got carried away," Kagome apologized. "I was wandering through the gardens until Sesshoumaru onii-sama found me. Shortly after that, Inuyasha arrived here as well."

"I'm glad that it was Sesshoumaru-sama who found you," the taijiya said relieved. "If it were to be like the guards we met at the gates..." Her voice faltered when she realized she was becoming a bit rude.

Sesshoumaru frowned at this. "Tell me," he demanded seriously.

Sango hesitated but eventually nodded. "Not only did they fail to address her properly, they even dared to talk to her in an ill-mannered way."

"But it's only natural that they didn't recognize me," Kagome reasoned. "You shouldn't blame them for that."

"That I can understand, but I cannot forgive them for disrespecting you," her guardian scowled and turned to Sesshoumaru. "You should have seen hime-sama's face when they questioned her."

_'There it is again...'_ Kagome thought upset, but was forced to disregard it when Sesshoumaru spoke.

"Hm, I'll tend to this matter later. I suggest we should let you meet mother and father first," he decided as he turned to leave.

Kagome nodded with a smile and joined him while Inuyasha and Sango followed behind.

.-.-.-.

"Mother! Father!" Kagome cried as she rushed over the wooden floor to her parents.

"Kagome!" Izayoi cried with tears in her eyes and received her daughter with both arms.

InuTaisho, who stood beside her, gently stroke Kagome's hair. "It must've been tough, was it not? I'm so sorry for putting you through all this," he apologized deeply.

Kagome pulled away from her mother's embrace and turned to her father. "Don't say that father. You did it for my own good, it was the only choice you had. I never blamed you for making that decision," she told him. "That's why...even if I'm to leave eventually, let's just pretend it isn't...until my birthday, okay?"

InuTaisho returned a smile and bent forward to hug her. Kagome hugged him back by wrapping her arms around his neck. "I've seen and experienced a lot of things that I couldn't have if I stayed inside this fortress. Besides...I got to know a wonderful guardian like Sango. That's why you shouldn't feel guilty at all."

The demon lord released her after hearing this and looked at Sango. "You've carried out your duty remarkably. Is there anything you want as your reward?"

Kagome smiled at this. _'After experiencing so much together, you couldn't possibly ask for anything more...Because you never saw it as a duty, right Sango?' _she thought inwardly.

But to her surprise, the taijiya stepped up to the lord and bowed politely. "Can I ask for anything? Anything at all?" she asked.

"Anything that is in my power to give you," InuTaisho replied. "Except for my throne that is."

Sango smiled. "Do not worry milord. I wouldn't dare to ask for something like that. Compared to that, my wish is very simple," she said. "What I want is to have your permission to be her guardian again when the day of her departure arrives."

Kagome had a surprised expression on her face while Izayoi and InuTaisho smiled. "It sure does save me the time and money to find another reliable guardian, but I think I'll leave the decision to Kagome. She's the one needing protection after all," the demon lord told her as he shifted to look at Kagome.

Kagome nodded to her father and turned to Sango with a slightly displeased expression. "Mou! I thought I said not to mention me leaving this place!" she pouted, but smiled again. "Even if my life depended on it, I wouldn't accept a different person to be my guardian. I only trust you Sango."

"Thank you, hime-sama," the taijiya bowed again.

Kagome's face dropped. It wasn't quite the response she had expected at all. However, no time was given to her to react to this when her mother decided to interrupt the conversation.

"All right, enough of the chatter," she said and turned to Kagome. "Kagome, you must be tired of the long journey. You should take a hot bath first. After that, we'll have plenty of time to continue the talking during dinner."

Kagome shifted to look at Sango and then back to her mother. "What about Sango?"

"Sango can go to the room that is prepared for her. I'll have someone bring some new clothes to her later. As for dinner...normally it wouldn't be appropriate for anyone outside the royal family to have dinner with us, but tonight I'll make an exception since I want to hear all about the past ten years from you two."

"I see..." Kagome said slightly relieved and turned to Sango, who bowed to them again.

"Thank you Izayoi-sama. I shall retreat to my quarters now," she said and turned to leave.

Kagome watched her disappear around a corner and turned to her family. "Time for a nice bath!" she said with a smile and retreated from the hallway as well.

.-.-.

_'Ahh gokuraku gokuraku...'_ Kagome sighed content as she let herself sink deeper into the damping water. She leaned her arms over the edge of the bath and placed her head on top of them.  
**AN:** You hear people say this very often in anime series when they enter a nice warm bath or hot spring. Gokuraku actually means 'paradise' and Kagome says that here because she feels like she's in paradise.

She found herself in a fairly large space with a wide sandalwood screen separating the bathing area from the changing area. The walls were made of thick wood with only a thin horizontal space near the ceiling to let the damp escape. Bored with the still life scenery on the walls around her, Kagome uninterestedly shifted her eyes to the part of the wall beyond the screen. An old female servant was working on the other side of the sandalwood and the lanterns near the entrance clearly projected her movements on the wall. From the way she was bending forward, Kagome knew she was gathering her dirty clothes.

"Is there anything else you need, hime-sama?" the servant suddenly asked.

She lifted her head from her arms. "N-no, it's okay now," she replied.

"I've told another servant to bring you new clothes. Shall I discard the old ones for you?"

_'Old? Sango bought it for me a couple of months ago and I have only wore it three times!' _ Kagome thought annoyed. "No! Just wash them and give them back to me afterwards, okay?"

"Very well. I shall have them washed and returned to you later," the servant croaked. "If there's anything you need, I will be standing right outside this room."

"That's fine, thank you," she sighed tiredly.

"Have a nice bath, hime-sama."

She watched how the shadow of the servant bowed politely to her and disappeared, accompanied by the sound of the sliding door.

_'Finally...'_ she thought relieved as she leaned on top of her arms again. Just when she thought she could enjoy a quiet bath, she heard the voice of the old servant again beyond the doors and scowled. _'What is it this time?'_

"Please forgive me...I thought I had asked a servant to bring her clothes. I'm so sorry to have troubled you," the servant said with a subdued voice. "Here, I shall bring it to her."

"No. I will do it myself."

"But-"

"..."

"Forgive my rudeness...I shall remain here then..."

With the doors closed, Kagome was only able to hear parts of the conversation. Apparently someone had taken the initiative to bring her the new clothes instead of a servant, but she had yet to find out who. Her body tensed when she heard the doors slid open and her eyes widened at the silhouette that appeared on the wall.

"S-Sesshoumaru onii-sama, w-what are you doing here?" Kagome gasped.

The shadow of the dog demon stopped before reaching the wooden screen. "I came to bring you your new clothes," he replied flatly.

"O-oh...euhm...t-thank you..." Kagome stammered as she shifted uncomfortably in the water. She knew Sesshoumaru wouldn't come any closer but there's no way she could ignore the plain fact that she was completely naked.

"Kagome," his low voice echoed through the steam.

"H-hai?"

"Is something bothering you?"

_'...eh?'_ Kagome raised her brows in surprise. "N-no of course not! Why would you think that?" she laughed, trying to avoid the question.

"You were never good at lying, Kagome," the dog demon reminded her.

"..."

"You don't like it here...do you?"

Kagome quickly shook her head. "I _do_ like it here. All these years, I've been waiting to see you, Inuyasha and father and mother again...it's just...it's so different...except for you and Inuyasha...everyone is so...even Sango..." She stopped in the middle of the sentence. _'What am I saying...? I'm not making any sense now...'_ she thought ashamed and turned around in the water until her back faced the screen.

"You're angry because she refused to call you by your name, isn't it?"

She dropped her face. "I'm not..." she mumbled but stopped when tears began to sting her eyes. Her brother was right; she never was good at lying. The fact that Sango had to address her formally did bother her. The big sister she knew back at the forest had turned into an obedient guardian once they stepped inside the fortress. They always dined together...and bathed together...and even slept in the same room each night, and now everything they do was separate. How could that not bother her?

Kagome closed her eyes and forced herself to calm down. "I'm not angry..." she said after a moment of silence. "I'm just not used to it...everything's so different here. Back in the forest, I was Kagome and could do anything I want, but here, I'm the princess of the West and certain rules have to be obeyed. All because of status differences..."

"Do you want to go back? Back to the forest?"

She smiled as her eyes fell on the fangs that were resting on her chest below the water surface. "I didn't mean it that way onii-sama. I'll have to go back eventually...but that's not the point. I may complain...but I have never regretted it." She stretched out her legs in the water and raised her head to look at the ceiling. "If I was given another chance, I would still have thrown myself between you and that monster (i.e. Naraku), I would still have chosen to create that barrier and become the pillar of peace. I would still..." Her voice faltered as a certain blue-gray eyed assassin came into mind. _'Yes...I definitely wouldn't regret it...'_ she thought determined. "Don't worry onii-sama...I'm okay now," she reassured him. "I'm sorry for worrying you."

Silence fell between the two as they enjoyed each other's quiet company, but it was soon interrupted by the sound of the sliding door opening.

"To me..." Sesshoumaru said with a pause in between. "...you are always Kagome."

The words sent a warm feeling through Kagome's body, but when she turned around to respond, the shadow of the dog demon was already nowhere to be found.

Kagome quickly exited the water and reached out to a towel nearby. After wrapping it around her body, she hastily walked to the other side of the screen, only to find Sesshoumaru gone and a beautiful kimono draped over the wooden robe stand near the wall.

The upper body was mainly light yellow with red sakura flowers, while the lower body also had vivid blue butterflies embroidered near the blossoms. Along the lower edge of the long sleeves and near the feet, the kimono was soft red with white petals. The obi was orange with red leaves embroidered all over it, making the garment complete and breathtaking even though it's only hanging on a stand.

_'Kirei...'_ she thought amazed as she ran her hand over the fabric. She couldn't wait to see how it would look on her.

.-.-.

It took her and her servant some time to put on the kimono and obi, but they were eventually done and Kagome was lead back to her chamber. She looked at herself in the long mirror and couldn't believe what she saw.

Much to her astonishment, the kimono fitted her perfectly. With her hair tied up and some tresses resting loosely on her shoulders, she really looked dazzling. She giggled at her reflection. _'I am a princess after all...'_ she thought with a wide grin. Upon the sight of herself in the gorgeous kimono, she completely forgot about the unhappy thought she had before and could only think about showing this to Sesshoumaru.

Without second thought, she walked out of her room. _'Where could he be...?'_ she thought as she ran through the hallways. Her chestnut eyes darted around until she caught a glimpse of silver in the large garden in front of the gates.

Luckily, the sun hadn't completely set yet or all her running would be in vain. "Sesshoumaru onii-sama!" she called out.

The dog demon turned around to her as she stopped before him and it was then that Kagome realized that Inuyasha was there as well.

The brothers widened their eyes when they saw her but it was Inuyasha who spoke first. "Woah you're really beautiful aneue!" he cried and turned to Sesshoumaru. "It's just to be expected from aniue to select such an elegant garment!"

"Hmph," Sesshoumaru snorted arrogantly.

Kagome gave them a puzzled look. "Eh? What do you mean?"

"Aniue chose this kimono for you to wear on your birthday," the hanyou explained. "It's amazing how it fits you so perfectly."

With wide eyes, Kagome turned to Sesshoumaru. "You bought this for me?"

"Yup!" Inuyasha answered in his place.

Sesshoumaru frowned slightly. "Inuyasha, shouldn't you be helping mother with dinner? She had decided to prepare Kagome's favorite dishes tonight, I'm sure she'll need some help," he said with a low voice, making it sound more like an order than a suggestion.

"Okay!" the hanyou nodded and ran back into the house, leaving him and Kagome behind in the garden.

Kagome chuckled softly as she recalled that Sesshoumaru's not a person to say honest words unless they're alone and she gave him an expectant look.

"Do you like it?" he finally asked.

She looked down at her kimono and faced him again with a warm smile. "Very much," she told him. "Thank you so much, onii-sama." She was surprised when Sesshoumaru cupped her cheek with a clawed hand. "Sesshoumaru onii-sama?" she gave him a puzzled look. "What's wrong?"

"I promise you Kagome," he suddenly said after a moment of silence.

"Eh?"

"I will protect your smile with my life."

Kagome widened her eyes, but eventually softened them as she placed her hand on top of his. "Arigatou," she whispered softly.

The two backed away from each other when Inuyasha's voice suddenly echoed from the house.

"Aniue! Aneue! Dinner is ready!"

Kagome laughed at the sudden change of mood and turned to Sesshoumaru. "Let's go back inside, shall we?"

The dog demon nodded and both of them retreated back into the house.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**:  
How did you like this chapter? It took me some time to write the scene between Kagome and Sesshoumaru. I still have to remind you that this is and will remain a Bankotsu/Kagome fic :), hope you won't get disappointed by that hehe. Maybe I should consider writing a Sess/Kag after this story :)? Anyway, please review and tell me what you think okay? Thanks! Oh by the way, thanks to Kyia, I got to watch movie 4 from Inuyasha. I must say that the boss of the enemy group look a LOT like Bankotsu :).

Greets,

Kittymui

.-.-.-.

_'Italic'_: thoughts  
"...": spoken words  
.-.-.-.-.: time gap  
-CAPSLOCKED WORDS-: noises

.-.-.-.

**Next chapter: Chapter 24**

.-.-.

In the next chapter, Kagome will tell Inuyasha about the journals she had written for him and about Bankotsu, whose life she had saved and with whom she plans to spend the rest of her life with. Meanwhile, our famous assassin group is still headed for the fortress according to plan.

.-.-.

**Vocabulary:**

**taijiya:** (demon) exterminator  
**onii-sama:** a respectful way to refer to an older brother  
**tadaima**: in response to the above, this is what people say when they come home, means "I'm home".  
**aniue**: a respecful way to refer to an older brother  
**aneue**: same as above but for an older sister  
**hanyou**: half demon  
**mou**: something like 'geez', people say this when they're displeased with/annoyed by something  
-**sama**: honorific suffix you add to someone's name whom you respect very much  
**hime**: princess  
**gokuraku**: paradise  
**kirei**: beautiful  
**arigatou**: thank you  
**hai**: yes

.-.-.-.

**REPLIES TO REVIEWS:**

LadyRedEyes: Thank you so much :)! Like this kind of pace for updating?

satsu: Hey there, thanks for reviewing! Is this soon enough?

Wake-Robin: Thanks! It's getting more and more nervous later :), but we'll get some serene scenes in the next chapter.

TeenAnimeLover: Glad you liked it!

Skitzoflame: Even if he doesn't tell them hey'll eventually find out :), but I guess it won't go as far as that if you know what I mean.

sesshomaruobsessed: Thanks! I'm flattered :). Maybe I'll consider writing originals once I start losing inspiration to use IY characters.

Dark Neko17: Hahaha, glad my pace of updating suits you :). Thanks for reviewing!

Cascading Fates: This one's a bit longer :). What I've written in the summary will indeed happen, or else Bankotsu in present time wouldn't be still dreaming about it right? However, in the chapter where it really happens, the whole scene will be better described than the dream. Hope that clears up a bit :)!

Schwarz Stein: Thanks, I've accepted it. Is there anything specific that I have to do by the way? Glad you liked the chapter!

darkenedmoonlightflame: Thank you! Although I got my bachelor degree, my master is going to start pretty soon so it'll get busy busy again...sigh...

sangotaku6: Thanks for reviewing! If my muses keep working like they should, the next installment should be within the next 10 days!

Mis0ka: Thanks! I'm actually better in action chapters, I'm glad my non-action chapters are satisfying too!

BelleDayNight: Euhm, I've seen people doing it in chinese series, but I can't do it myself. I wonder if there's a manual somewhere on the internet :)...and if the needed plants grow here hahaha. Hmm if everything is going as planned, the book that Bankotsu is reading will end within 5 chapters. This entire story is mainly about the tale from the past, so there isn't much to tell after that (I don't like dragging out things, hehehe). However, I do have something planned for when he finishes reading the book, but it'll be a lot less complicated than the story in the book, don't worry :).

Inukamisashi: Yup! Thanks for reviewing!

SusArackAhack: Interested is a nice word, but I think catastrophic will be more like it when Bankotsu and Co arrives hehehe. Or did you mean Kagome and Co? Never mind that :), thanks for reviewing! I'll try my best to amaze you!

SesshomarusGirl15: Thank you very much! Hope you haven't died of the suspence yet :)...grins...you'll miss out the best part of the story if you did!

Ayome: Wow, I never imagined a reader would review almost every chapter when more than 20 chapters are already posted. I'm really really happy that you did! Thank you so much! I'm glad you like the story so far! You've got it right about Bankotsu not knowing who Kagome is until he kills her :), really sad isn't it? But don't worry, it won't be that depressing in the present time when he finishes reading.

AnimeSiren: Yup, it would get too complicated if they didn't. Glad you loved it!

Murasaki White Flame Fox: I wish I could. I wonder if there's a manual online or something. But honestly, there are people in China who can do that, at least, that's what my fathers says :). Thanks for reviewing!

Shortie630: Thanks! I'll update asap!

waining-moon: Glad you liked it! I'm sure you'll like one of the future chapters that I've planned to write too if you liked the previous one :)!

AnimeAngel41: Hope this is fast enough :)!

thunder sister: I'm a believer that history can't be changed so it's expected to "repeat" itself again. Recall that Bankotsu is only reading a tale from the past, so it's not really about changing history :).

Ana Esterlla: Glad you loved it! Can't wait for more (reviews) too :) hahaha!

rosesRred16: Thanks! I will!

Kuroi Tsuki Jyurian: It's okay! Don't worry about that, take your time ne? Thanks for reviewing!

Kuroe: Thanks! I'll try to update asap!

kakashisninjadogs: Hope this chapter wasn't disappointing :)! Bankotsu is reading a story from the past, which will explain why he's having the same dream over and over again, so it's most likely that what's happened in the dream will also happen in the book. Don't worry, because when Bankotsu finishes reading, the story won't get any more depressing :).

Posted: 5 September 2005  
Last Edited: 5 September 2005  
Spelling check: YES

**DISCLAIMER: **I do not own Inuyasha or any characters of it. And I do not own whatever elements of this story that seem familiar and had already been used by other creative individuals before. But... I do own the idea of mixing all of these elements together into a new story!


	25. Chapter XXIV

**A TALE FROM THE PAST**

by Kittymui

**CHAPTER XXIV**

Inuyasha widened his eyes. "Ehhh? Hontou?"

"Shhh!" she shushed him. It was already late in the evening and the both of them were sitting on the floor in Kagome's slightly illuminated bedroom. Dinner had ended a couple of hours ago, but she decided to tell her younger brother a bit more than what she told the rest back in the dining room.

"What would chichi-ue and haha-ue think about this? And aniue?" Inuyasha asked.

Kagome hesitated for a moment. "I'm only telling you about this," she told him.

"But why?" the hanyou gave her a puzzled look. "You should tell the rest too."

"I don't know," she sighed troubled. "Before I came here, I thought I could tell all of you about him, but now that I've arrived...I can't seem to find the right moment to say it."

"How about tomorrow during dinner?" he suggested.

Kagome smirked in her mind. _'Yeah right...like...Hey I forgot to tell you earlier. I've fallen in love with an assassin while I was back in the forest. I'm planning to spend the rest of my life with him, can I have your blessing?' _She shook her head. "Can't do that..." she replied as she eyed the confused Inuyasha. _'Come to think of it, I haven't even told him that Bankotsu is an assassin.'_

"Then how about-" Inuyasha wanted to come up with another idea but was cut off by Kagome.

"Don't worry, I will tell the rest eventually. Just not for the time being," she reassured him. "Until then, do you think you can keep this little secret of mine?"

The hanyou brightened up. "No problem!"

Kagome scooted closer to her little brother and embraced him closely. "Want me to tell you another secret?" she whispered.

He nodded in her arms.

"All these years, I've been writing down the things that have happened in my life. At first, I thought I was writing it for myself, but from the moment you were born and when I had to leave the fortress, I've decided to keep the journal for you," she confessed to him. "I want you to know more about me and the things I've experienced in the years that I was not by your side."

"A-aneue," Inuyasha responded hesitatingly. "I-I..."

"I want you to be the first one to read them, my journals," she said. "That's why you'll be the only one knowing where I've put them."

She placed her lips closer to the white fluffy ears on top of his head and whispered the location of her house back in the forest and where she had put the box with her journals.

Shortly after that, Inuyasha pulled away and looked at her with a face filled with determination. "Don't worry aneue. As soon as I've become an adult, I will get rid of Naraku myself. Then you won't have to keep any more journals. You won't have to experience things on your own anymore. We will make new memories together from that moment on!" he said enthusiastically.

Moved by these words, Kagome nodded approvingly with a warm smile on her face. "But Naraku's strong you know? You'll have to become much stronger than him if you want to beat him."

The hanyou stuck up his nose. "Keh! Don't underestimate me! I've already mastered two powerful claw attacks from aniue," he snorted.

"Really?" Kagome raised a brow in surprise. "Well, I won't believe you until you've shown it to me yourself."

"That's mean!" Inuyasha pouted. "You know we can't go outside the fortress because of your safety!"

"You got a point..." Kagome dropped her face until an idea suddenly popped up. "But what if we persuade onii-sama to come along?"

"Aniue?"

She nodded. "Nobody had ever seen me before, so if you or Sesshoumaru onii-sama don't call me by my name, who would know that I'm actually the princess of the West? Besides, if anything should happen, you two together would be more than enough to protect me, right?"

"Hmm...it never hurts to ask..." Inuyasha thought aloud. "But aniue is going outside with chichi-ue tomorrow morning to patrol around the fortress."

"Then we'll ask him when he comes back," Kagome decided.

The hanyou gave her a worried look. "Are you really sure about this aneue? It could be dangerous."

"Yeah, I'm sure. Don't worry too much about it okay?" she said as she failed to suppress a yawn. "It's already getting late, let's call it a day shall we?"

Inuyasha nodded and walked towards the door as Kagome spread out her futon on the floor.

"Oyasumi aneue. It's good to have you back again," he said, looking over his shoulder to her.

Kagome gave him a warm smile. "It's good to be back."

.-.-. meanwhile .-.-.

"Writing your journal again?"

Bankotsu stopped writing and looked up, only to find Jakotsu standing beside him. The yellowish red hue which radiated from the crisping campfire made his friend seem even more feminine than he already was. _'He could definitely win a man's heart if he let his hair loose instead of tied up.'_ he thought amused as he suppressed a chuckle. _'Except mine.'_ he added inwardly, reminding himself of his loyalty towards his raven-haired angel. "Yeah, I couldn't sleep," he replied softly, not wanting to disturb the rest of the group that was soundly sleeping on the grass around them.

"We're reaching our destination soon. You think you'll be able to finish writing it before the mission starts?" his friend asked.

Bankotsu looked down at the paper surface and back to Jakotsu. "I'm almost done. Yesterday, I've finished writing about the things that had happened when I was blind."

"Are you planning to give it to her afterwards?" Jakotsu asked softly. "Do you think she'll read it?"

"I am going to give it to her, but I'm not sure if she would want to read everything," Bankotsu replied. "Part of it will be about the execution of our mission after all, which is what I'm still working on at the moment."

Jakotsu thought for a moment and put a hand on Bankotsu's shoulder as he knelt down to him and whispered. "Don't worry. If she loves you, she'll accept every bit of you and your past."

"Thanks," Bankotsu smiled encouraged.

His friend returned a smile and stood up again. "So...have you thought about a strategy?" he asked casually.

Bankotsu nodded. "Yes I have. I've already got a plan in my mind, but to complete it, I'll be needing some information that can only be gathered at the fortress."

"Do you think we'll have enough time to plan everything once we get there?"

He nodded again. "If we keep this pace, we should arrive at the fortress two days before the birthday of our target. That should be enough," he reasoned. "In the meantime, I'll keep you guys updated of the outlines."

"Will do," Jakotsu nodded and stretched out his arms. "I'm going to hit the hay now. You shouldn't stay up too late Bankotsu, you'll need the rest too."

"I'll keep that in mind," Bankotsu replied and watched his friend settle down against the nearest trunk before turning to his journal again. _'Now where was I...oh right...'_ he thought as he began to write again. _'On the birthday of the princess of the West, we'll infiltrate the fortress using the crowd...'_

.-.-.

The next morning, Sesshoumaru and InuTaisho left the fortress on an early patrol and Kagome and Izayoi ended up talking a walk in the garden together after breakfast.

Except for the kimono that Sesshoumaru gave her as her birthday present, there were no particular garments prepared for her return since they didn't know her size. Fortunately, her posture resembled her mother's so she got to wear one of her kimono's. Today, she was dressed in her mother's fine green kimono with yellow flowers while her mother wore a dark yellow one with white blossoms. On straw sandals, they strode over the with leaves covered stone path that led them through the autumn flavored garden.

Normally with such a thick kimono around her body, Kagome wouldn't have any problems with the chilly breezes that brushed her cheeks from time to time, but combined with the lack of sleep, she just couldn't stop yawning.

"You didn't sleep very well, did you? I heard that the light of your bedroom had stayed lit till very late last night," her mother suddenly said through the crackling leaves below their feet.

"Oh, Inuyasha and I just had a lot to catch up last night," Kagome told her as she dried her teary eyes after another yawn. "It won't happen again, I promise."

Her mother nodded approvingly. "By the way, Inuyasha left quickly after breakfast. Do you know where he might have gone?"

"I'm not sure, he didn't tell me," Kagome replied. "But I think he probably went outside to train or something."

Izayoi chuckled softly. "That Inuyasha, always running off like that and always coming up with the strangest of ideas, just like you," she smiled. "I guess it shouldn't be too surprising that he was the one who came up with the idea to summon you back to celebrate your twentieth birthday."

"Inuyasha?" Kagome was really surprised to hear this. "But why? I only held him once when he was just a baby, I doubt that he would even remember that."

"It's true that we had decided not to tell him about you because of reasons of confidentiality, but not long before his tenth birthday he caught servants talking about you," her mother told her. "I was truly surprised when he and Sesshoumaru suddenly came to ask my permission to summon you back. Apparently, Sesshoumaru had told him all about you."

"S-Sesshoumaru onii-sama did?" Kagome widened her eyes.

Her mother nodded. "I was just as surprised as you are now. After you left, he was the one who had decided not to mention you again, but I guess these ten years had dampened his stubborness. Although he always seemed like the most uncaring one, it is he who is actually affected the most by InuTaisho's decision to send you away."

"That's Sesshoumaru onii-sama for you," Kagome agreed with a chuckle.

"Yes, but he wasn't the only one..." Izayoi added with a sad tone as she stopped walking and turned to her. "Every day since you left, I had prayed for your safety and begged the Gods and your late father's spirit for forgiveness for abandoning you." She cupped her cheeks with both hands and continued as her eyes began to redden. "Every night, I could only fall asleep with InuTaisho's messenger telling me that the barrier around the West was still intact, as it was the only way for me to find out whether you're still alive..."

Kagome leaned into her mother's warm hands. She didn't notice it before but now that her face was so close, she realized that her mother had become much thinner. Her cheekbones and collarbone were more visible than she remembered and there were already some evidence of aging appearing on her once smooth face.

"Mother," she said softly. "Don't blame yourself so much. A long time ago, I didn't give up because I wouldn't want someone else to be burdened with such a heavy fate, but now, I'm really happy that this is my destiny and nobody else's. I don't regret anything and I don't blame anyone for the decisions made, so neither should you blame yourself."

She watched how her mother's grimace turned into a small smile and dried her tears with her sleeve.

"You've grown so much, Kagome," said Izayoi as she caressed her cheeks. "You were just a small girl back then...now look at you..." Her eyes traveled to her feet and back to her face again. "You've become considerate, thoughtful and kind. You've become such a fine young lady and your looks could easily steal a man's heart and soul. Just like I did with your late father."

Kagome blushed. "Mother! Stop that!"

"But I'm only speaking the truth my dear daughter, there's no need to be embarassed," her mother said innocently.

"L-let's keep walking okay? We're out here for a walk after all," Kagome quickly suggested and began to walk again.

She heard her mother chuckle softly behind her back, followed by some quick footsteps and soon they were traveling side by side again throught the garden.

"Aneue!" a voice cried from afar.

Kagome recognized Inuyasha's voice and turned around to her little brother, who jumped from the fortress' walls and landed before her.

"Ah haha-ue, y-you're here too!" the hanyou said surprised.

"Yes Inuyasha, I was taking a walk around the garden with your sister. Is something the matter? You sound pretty exhausted. Where did you come from?" Izayoi demanded.

"N-nothing! I was just on the watch..." Inuyasha stammered and turned to Kagome. "Chichi-ue and aniue has returned from their patrol."

"A-ah!" Kagome responded, immediately knowing what her little brother was hinting about and turned to their mother. "Mother, I'm going with Inuyasha to give them a warm welcome back! We'll continue this walk on another day okay?"

Before she could receive a response from her mother, Kagome was already pulled away by Inuyasha.

"Come on aneue!" the hanyou said as he began to quicken his pace.

"W-wait Inuyasha! I can't run that fast!" Kagome cried as she barely kept up.

"Aniue!" he cried when InuTaisho and Sesshoumaru came in view. He quickly sprinted towards the two demons, completely forgetting that he was still holding Kagome's hand.

"Woah!" Kagome cried when she failed to grasp her little brother's sudden change of speed and began to stumble forward to the floor.

Fortunately, Sesshoumaru saw all this and quickly caught Kagome before she hit the dirt.

"T-thanks, " she smiled when she stood up again with his help.

"Inuyasha," she heard her brother say with a stern voice and looked up at him, only to find him staring at Inuyasha with a terribly displeased expression. She knew he was angry at him for almost letting her fall and quickly placed herself between them. "It's not his fault Sesshoumaru onii-sama! We were just...we couldn't wait to ask you something, that's why we ran...and then I lost my balance, that's all," she told him.

Sesshoumaru raised a brow. "Ask me what?"

"Well...eh..." she hesitated, eyeing their father, who was looking at them from a short distance.

Noticing this, Sesshoumaru turned to InuTaisho. "I can handle this myself father, do not wait for me," he told the demon lord.

"Very well, I shall wait for you in my study then," InuTaisho nodded and turned to leave.

After their father disappeared into the building, Sesshoumaru turned to Kagome again. "What did you want to ask me?" he demanded expectantly.

"Eh...you see..." Kagome began.

.-. one moment later .-.

"No," was the Sesshoumaru's concise answer after hearing their request.

"Aw come on aniue! I just want to show aneue the claw attacks you taught me!" Inuyasha pouted.

"..."

The hanyou put up a defeated expression as he muttered. "I'm sure going to the forest would do aneue good."

This slightly piqued the dog demon and he turned to Kagome. "Do you want to go outside the fortress?"

Kagome nodded. "I want to see what you have taught Inuyasha. There might not be another chance again," she told him sadly.

Sesshoumaru scowled at this. "There _will_ be another chance," he growled, causing her to flinch.

Seeing that, the dog demon froze, realizing how harsh he must have sounded. After a moment of silence, his eyes softened again. "We'll leave the forest as soon as we're done or when I think it's too dangerous to stay any longer, do I make myself clear?"

Both Kagome and Inuyasha widened their eyes and nodded with wide smiles on their face.

.-.-.

In the forest, Kagome and Sesshoumaru walked side by side while the excited Inuyasha walked at a distance in front of them. According to the dog demon, they were heading towards the part of the forest where he and Inuyasha trained together.

"Sesshoumaru onii-sama?"

"Hm?"

"You were the one who told Inuyasha about me, weren't you?"

"..."

Kagome knew she was right when her brother gave no reply and turned her attention back to the road. "I heard you were the one who had decided not to mention me again, but then why did you tell Inuyasha?"

Sesshoumaru took his time to answer. "Inuyasha wanted to know more about you. He had the right to know," he replied with his eyes fixed on the hanyou in front of them.

Her brother was right about this, but Kagome felt that there was more behind this and glanced at him with an expectant expression.

After being stared at for a couple of seconds, Sesshoumaru finally couldn't stand it and turned to her with an annoyed expression. "I hadn't planned to tell him at first, but he wouldn't stop asking."

Satisfied with the answer, Kagome flashed him a victorious grin and looped her arm around his.

Immediately, the dog demon began to shake her off of his arm angrily. Knowing that she had angered her brother, Kagome tightened her grip around his arm and apologized meekly. "I'm sorry onii-sama. I guess I just missed teasing you. I didn't mean to anger you."

Right after she said that, the shaking stopped and their journey continue in a fairly awkward silence.

"So...when did father give you that sword?" she tried to interrupt the quietness as she eyed the weapon that was secured around Sesshoumaru's waist.

"Two years after you left the fortress, when I turned twenty," he replied after a moment, his voice less agitated than before.

"I'm turning twenty soon, do you think father would give me something special too?" she asked hopefully.

Sesshoumaru sighed as he looked down at his sword with a bored expression. "There's nothing special about this sword. It's useless to me."

"But it's a sword right? How come it's useless?" she asked puzzled.

"It cannot kill," her brother replied flatly.

"Ehhh?" she exclaimed, even more bewildered than before. But she fell silent when she suddenly remembered a conversation she had with her mother a long time ago.

_FLASHBACK_

Not long after InuTaisho had taken her mother as his wife and adopted her as the princess of the West, she recalled asking her mother once about the day they were attacked.

"Mommy?"

Her mother looked up from something that looked like a scroll of paper and smiled at her. "What is it?"

"When those wolves were chasing us, were you afraid?"

"Of course I was!" she replied with a surprised face. She put down the scroll and spread out her arms to her. "Come here."

Kagome walked closer and settled down on her lap.

Her mother's arms enveloped her small body and embraced her tightly. "I was afraid that they'll hurt you, so I quickly threw you out of the bushes and told you to run while I distracted them."

"I ran and ran like you told me to and then I met father who was not yet my father back then."

"You told him to save me didn't you?"

She nodded. "He placed me in one of the guard's arms and quickly dashed into the trees. But then I got really sleepy and when I woke up, we were already inside the fortress."

Her mother smiled at her as she caressed her cheek. "We had run for hours, it was only natural for you to be that tired," she reasoned.

"Did those wolves hurt you?"

"They did," she replied. "For a moment, I was pretty sure that I had died."

Kagome slightly tilted her head in puzzlement. "But you're holding me right now."

Her mother chuckled softly. "That's so true Kagome. However, I have no doubt that it was death that I was experiencing back then. It was cold and quiet and there was nobody around. But suddenly, a warm light surrounded me and took me away from that dark place."

"A light saved mommy?" she raised a brow. "But I thought father did."

"Yes, he did," her mother nodded. "When I asked your father about it, he told me that he had saved me with one of his swords."

She widened her eyes. "Ehh? But swords are bad things right? How did it save mommy's life?"

"He told me that it was a sword that could not harm humans, only the creatures that try to take our souls away," her mother explained.

Kagome's face dropped as more and more question piled up in her simple mind. "But I don't understand mommy..." she sniffed.

"Don't cry Kagome," she hushed her gently. "You will understand it someday."

_END FLASHBACK_

_'This must be the sword mother was talking about back then...'_ Kagome concluded after snapping out of her thoughts. She turned to Sesshoumaru. "Mother told me once about this sword. She said it was a sword that could only harm those that take our souls away."

He nodded in reply. "Tenseiga, the sword that can bring back a hundred lives with just one swing," he told her.

_'A sword that can bring back the dead...'_ she repeated her brother's words in her head. It was somehow very comforting, but that was until Sesshoumaru suddenly snarled at his sword.

"However, I have no use for such a pathetic sword," she heard him say.

Kagome frowned at this. "Why not? It can save lives, can it not?"

"It isn't that easy. This sword..." he said but paused to rephrase the explanation. "Even if its master desires to bring a person back to life, if the sword does not agree with it, the person will not be brought back."

"Oh..." She dropped her face. For one moment, she had a small fragment of hope growing inside her when she heard about the power of this Tenseiga, but it all crumbled her brother told her about its true character. _'That's right...If Tenseiga really could bring back everyone, Sesshoumaru onii-sama's mother would still be by his side right now...'_ she thought sadly. _'So...when I...'_

"I won't let it happen Kagome," the dog demon suddenly said, as if he could sense what she was worrying about. "I know that there's no guarantee Tenseiga will allow me to bring you back when you..." he stopped before uttering the ill-fated word. "I won't let that time come...even if it does, I'd rather kill myself than having to use the sword on you."

Kagome flashed the dog demon an angry look. "I don't want to hear you saying that," she scowled. "I won't let you!"

This time, Sesshoumaru smirked. "As if you could stop me by then."

"I don't understand! You said you wouldn't let me die and yet you refuse to take the chance to bring me back to life?" she said frustrated.

The smirk on his face dropped immediately as his eyes hardened. "Because I don't want to bear any hope of being able to bring you back to life and then realize that I couldn't...even though I have the power to!" he grunted.

It was then that Kagome began to feel guilty for doubting her brother and she dropped her eyes to the floor out of shame. "G-gomen nasai..." she whispered.

"You're forgiven," said Sesshoumaru. "But I do not ever want to hear you mentioning this again."

She nodded and tightened her grip around his arm.

Because of their argument, they didn't realize that Inuyasha had disappeared out of sight until the hanyou suddenly popped up before them, causing them to halt their steps. "Geez you guys are so slow! No wonder I couldn't find you guys when I looked behind me earlier!" he complained. "Aniue, why don't you carry aneue? We'll be much faster that way."

Kagome dropped her jaw. "What! I can walk perfectly by mys-" Before she could even finish, she was already scooped up by the dog demon. "Hey! I didn't give you permission to carry me!" she cried in protest.

"If we stay outside the fortress for too long, mother and father will get suspicious," her brother reasoned and turned to Inuyasha. "Let's go."

Not giving her a chance to complain any more, Sesshoumaru dashed through the trees with Inuyasha following right behind.

.-.-.

"Sankon Tessou!" Inuyasha cried as he lunged forward to one of the trees with his claws first.

Kagome widened her eyes when the thick trunk splat in several large pieces and clapped her hands. "Sugoi!" she cried amazed at her little brother's claw attack.

"Thanks," the hanyou smiled. "Though it's actually nothing compared to the damage it can inflict when aniue's the one doing it."

"Don't worry, I'm sure you'll be able to do the same after some more practice," she comforted him as she elbowed Sesshoumaru to say something as well.

"Maybe," the dog demon responded coolly.

Kagome scowled at her brother's so-called helping hand, but quickly turned to Inuyasha again with a smile on her face. "Never mind him. Let's see your other claw attack, shall we?"

"Okay!" Inuyasha nodded.

It shocked her greatly when the hanyou suddenly clenched his clawed hands and sank his nails into his palm until it drew blood. "Inuyasha! What are you-"

"Hijin Kessou!" he cried loudly and sent several large red blades towards a group of trees next to the damaged one.

BWAAAAMM

Kagome shielded her eyes from the dust cloud that emerged after the loud blast and lowered her arm when it began to dissipate again.

"Wow..." she gasped at the sight of the wasted trees before her.

Her attention turned to Inuyasha, who was now approaching her with a wide grin on his face. "Do you believe me now?" he smirked.

"Yeah, I believe you now," she frowned as she suddenly grabbed his bleeding clawed hand, which caused him to wince. "But you really should do something about that Flying Blood something..." she said as she pulled out a small handkerchief and began bandaging his injured palm.

Inuyasha scowled. "It's Flying Claws of Blood," he grunted. "Actually, I've already refined the way to draw blood. I used to dug my claws into my chest before."

"Oh God!" Kagome put up a disgusted face as the idea began to nauseate her.

"Yeah, but aniue told me that my chest wasn't the wisest spot to draw blood in an actual battle so I decided to use my palm instead," the hanyou explained. "Don't worry, I'm half demon so my wounds will heal pretty quickly."

Kagome finished making a knot in the handkerchief and looked up to her little brother again. "Just try not to use that skill too much in the future okay?"

The hanyou nodded obediently as he looked at his bandaged hand. "Thanks, aneue."

They both turned to Sesshoumaru as he walked up to them. "Let's go home," the dog demon decided.

Kagome dropped her face at this. "So soon?"

He frowned. "I agreed to let you come here on the condition that we would leave whenever I say so, do you want me to break my word?"

She grinned mischievously. "Well then I suggest you should carry me back, because I'm not moving an inch."

"Give it up aniue, you can't win from her," Inuyasha chuckled, brushing off the dust from his red attire.

Sesshoumaru let out a deep sigh and reluctantly gathered Kagome up in his arms.

.-.-. later .-.-.

Inuyasha stretched out his arms as they arrived at the gates. "It's great to take a run from time to time, don't you agree aniue?" he asked as he blew away some silver strands from his face.

"Shh."

He raised a brow. "Why are you shushing me?" he asked as he turned to Sesshoumaru.

"She's sleeping," the dog demon replied softly as he looked at the sleeping Kagome in his arms.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**:  
Hey everybody! Pfew, this chapter took me almost forever to get it done...it already 8 pm and I still have to reread it :). Don't worry, I'll get it on before I'm hitting the hay. Anyway, I hope you liked this chapter, although it's kind of filled with various scenes. By the way, I'm falling behind with reading articles for school so the next chapter will take longer to be updated. However, I promise it'll be long :)!

Please review after reading! Thanks!

Greets,

Kittymui

.-.-.-.

_'Italic'_: thoughts  
"...": spoken words  
.-.-.-.-.: time gap  
-CAPSLOCKED WORDS-: noises

.-.-.-.

**Next chapter: Chapter XXV**

.-.-.

Why did the Western Lands fall? What caused the reign of InuTaisho to fall into the hands of the horrendous Naraku? Why did the barrier fail? All of this will be unraveled in the next and final chapter of the book called 'A Tale From The Past'.

.-.-.

**Vocabulary:**

**hontou: **really?  
**chichi-ue: **father  
**haha-ue: **mother  
**aniue/onii-sama: **(older) brother  
**aneue:** sister  
**hanyou: **half demon  
**oyasumi:** good night  
**gomen nasai:** I'm sorry  
**arigatou:** thank you  
**sugoi:** amazing  
**Sankon Tessou: **a claw attack used by Inuyasha, literally means 'Soul-Shattering Steel Claws'  
**Hijin Kessou: **mean 'Flying Claws of Blood'

.-.-.-.

**REPLIES TO REVIEWS:**

**BelleDayNight:** Glad you're enjoying the story, because I'm having fun writing it :)! While you can't wait to see what's going to happen in future chapters, I can't wait until I can really put them on paper hahaha.

**LadyRedEyes:** I understand :). Don't worry, if it's really getting a bit too much, I would just take my time to update. It's not like I'm making haste every time to update as frequent as possible. Oh by the way, I didn't make Kagome tell Sesshoumaru about Bankotsu, hope you aren't too disappointed about that.

**Horcrux Destroyer Fishi:** Hahaha don't worry, I won't. I've been looking forward to writing this story a long time ago so there's no way I'm going to write it half-heartedly.

**sesshomaruobsessed: **Thank you! I'm glad you loved it! As for your question, just wait and read ne?

**Shortie630:** Thanks! I'll update as soon as possible again.

**AnimeSiren:** Thanks for reviewing! The next chapter will be the one you're waiting for :)!

**Miry: **Yup...next chapter is going to be the that one chapter...be prepared :)!

**Seiteki Hekireki Jishinkaminarikajioyaji:** Hahaha really, I was just thinking the same thing :)! Hahaha yeah I understand what you mean. Maybe you would think twice before reading the next chapter I'm about to update...it'll dramatic (don't say I didn't warn you hehehe :)).

**darkenedmoonlightflame: **Hahaha, actually the reason why I sometimes fail to update within the promised time is because I still have to reply all the reviews. But I personally like it when authors reply to my reviews so I'm not planning to abandon this part of the chapter unless prohibited or when the amount of reviews is too much :).

**sangotaku6: **Thanks! Unfortunately, I might not be able to update within ten days for the next chapter, since it will be the most difficult chapter of all :).

**satsu:** Thank you very much :)!

**white-stellar: **Thanks for reviewing!

**kakashisninjadogs: **Hehehe, don't worry, I won't spoil the fun if you don't want me to :). Thank you very much for reviewing!

**Skitzoflame: **Thanks! I had a fluffy time writing it :)!

**Inukamisashi: **Hahaha, I'll be posting some story plots in my bio after I've finished with this story, then you'll can help me choose one to turn it into a story (probably a Sess/Kag one, not sure). I do understand a little bit Mandarin, so thanks, I will do my best!

**Wake-Robin:** Glad you loved it! It's their sibling relationship that makes them so special when they're together don't you think? Making them lovers would somehow spoil it, that's what I think at least.

**Dark Neko17:** Thanks! Well, I can tell you that the book will end within 3 chapters from now :), pretty quick ne?

**Schwarz Stein:** Thanks! I wish I had some more time to read stories besides writing, things are getting busier each day at school unfortunately.

**leah-chan:** Yup, it sure does! Thanks for reviewing!

**supersticiousmonkey89: **I'm doing my best at updating :)! Thanks for reading and reviewing my story!

**gurlhushere13:** Thank you! I will!

**tidusXyuna637: **Thanks! I'm happy to know you loved it! The next chapter won't come as fast as this one though!

**TeenAnimeLover: **Hahaha, well it's not really incest since they're not blood related. But don't worry, I don't like step-siblings falling in love with each other very much. And it would pretty much spoil the magical moments they had (solely because they're siblings), don't you agree?

**waining-moon: **Sorry for making you sad. Now I feel kind of guilty...but don't fret! The story will continue after Bankotsu finishes reading the story, it'll get better from that moment on :).

**Azn-grl-kagome12:** I'll try to! Thanks for reviewing!

**SesshomarusGirl15: **Wow, I'm so happy you love my story so far! Thanks! I'll try to update as soon as possible!

**Mis0ka: **It's the fact that they're siblings that makes their moments together so special, don't you agree? But in contrast to this and the previous chapter, the next chapter will be a lot more dramatic, hope you'll like it :).

**Cascading Fates: **You better do something about that stress of yours soon, because the next chapter's gonna be the one we're all dying to read...:). Movie 4 was in Japanese (fortunately), it's better than English dubbed ones I'm sure :).

**Raja crimson hunter:** I will.

**eyeliner0tears: **Thank you :). In the present? Bankotsu's reading the story we're reading right now, so basically we reading it through his eyes :). As for your other question, you'll find out soon enough :).

**bakasaru2: **Thanks! I'm glad you like it! I'll try to update asap.

**xXRaiyneXx: **Thank you!

**Hauntingsaddness: **Oh no, not at all :). It's natural for you to think that way. But it's their sibling relationship that makes the magical moments. It could be that Sesshoumaru has fallen in love with Kagome without even realizing it, but he will only express it in a brotherly way as he know it's impossible between him and Kagome. But maybe it's just love for a beloved sister that he's showing. Who knows? Thanks for reviewing!

**doragon no mizu:** Thank you very much! It really sucks when you're computer's not doing what it's supposed to do...I know that feeling. You will be disappointed, that I can assure you, but you won't be for long, I promise!

Posted: 15 September 2005  
Last Edited: 15 September 2005  
Spelling check: YES

**DISCLAIMER: **I do not own Inuyasha or any characters of it. And I do not own whatever elements of this story that seem familiar and had already been used by other creative individuals before. But... I do own the idea of mixing all of these elements together into a new story!


	26. Chapter XXV

**A TALE FROM THE PAST**

by Kittymui

**CHAPTER XXV**

It was another fine day, with the late afternoon sun shining peacefully over the fortress of the West.

However, although it showed nothing unusual from the outside, it was actually a complete chaos within the high walls.

Kagome and Sesshoumaru were walking through a wide corridor when a couple of servants hurriedly passed them by.

After they disappeared around a corner behind them, Kagome turned aside to look at her brother. "Is it always like this each year?" she asked.

The dog demon nodded. "But it's different this year," he added.

She slightly tilted her head in puzzlement. "How so?"

"In the previous years, they try their best to make it look like you're here inside this fortress. This time, they're actually working their hardest because you're really here," he explained. "It's a completely different atmosphere, though outsiders wouldn't notice."

"I see..." Kagome understood. "But isn't it dangerous for me to be here, now that every guard and servant knows I'm back?"

"Don't worry, those who would come to visit you won't be able to meet you in person. Furthermore, it is Rin who will be sitting in your room, just like every other year."

"And where would I be?" she asked with a raised brow.

"You will be dressed like another servant," he stated plainly.

Kagome turned to look straight ahead. She wasn't surprised to hear this since she had figured as much. "What if...somebody leaks out my identity...or Rin's?"

"They won't," said Sesshoumaru reassuringly. "They too treasure their lives. They understand that once they have leaked out your true identity or other confidential information, their lives will be forfeit; either by my claws or those who strife to conquer these lands."

"You're right..." she agreed. "Will I have to be dressed like a servant for the rest of the day?"

The dog demon turned to her. "For your own safety, you should. Why do you ask?"

Kagome hesitated and played with the ends of her sleeves. "Well...I was kind of looking forward to wearing the kimono you gave me..."

There was a short pause before Sesshoumaru responded. "The villagers who come to visit you usually arrive in the morning since we only allow them to go near your room until mid-afternoon," he said. "After that, they would attend lunch with father and mother in the dining room while Inuyasha and I have lunch with you in your room."

"Really? Then I can wear my own clothes again!" she smiled cheerfully.

Sesshoumaru gave her a strict look. "Only if you promise not to leave your room in those clothes until all guests have left."

"Okay!" she nodded.

Shortly after that, they arrived at the doors to the guest quarters.

As soon as Kagome pushed one of the doors open, a small white object jumped out of the opening and straight into Sesshoumaru's arms, startling him.

Kagome was just as surprised as her brother, but before she could react to it, a familiar voice drew her attention.

"Well, that's a surprise!"

She turned to the voice that came from beyond the doors, only to see Sango sitting on the floor and cleaning her large boomerang.

The taijiya was happy to see her, but the smile on her face disappeared as soon as she saw Sesshoumaru entering the room behind her. "Sesshoumaru-sama, Kagome-sama, what brings you two here today?"

"We...actually I decided to pay you a small visit. It's been more than a week since we've arrived and since I've last seen you," Kagome replied.

Sango smiled politely. "It's been that long already? Well, it's only natural for you to be busy, it's your twentieth birthday after all," she said. "Nevertheless, I'm honored that you've come to see me despite the busy preparations."

Hearing this, Kagome dropped her face, which didn't go by unnoticed with the dog demon standing near her.

"You need not use formal titles nor language towards Kagome in my or Inuyasha's presence," he said to the taijiya.

Both Sango and Kagome gave him a surprised look, to which the dog demon merely nodded.

"My point exactly," Kagome agreed with a smile as she turned to her guardian. "You got that?"

Sango relaxed a bit. "Well, that's a completely different story then..." she puffed with a relieved face, which was soon replaced by a scowl. "You've got a lot of nerve to see me after...what was it again? A week?"

"Eh...more than a week actually..." Kagome corrected.

"Precisely!" the taijiya exclaimed. "Unbelievable!"

"I'm so sorry. If time permitted, I would have come sooner..." she apologized deeply. She was surprised when Sango suddenly burst out laughing.

"Hahahaha. You ought to look into a mirror right now. The look on your face is truly priceless!" she laughed.

This time, Kagome was the one scowling. "Geez Sango! You scared me! I really thought you were angry at me!" she pouted, but hesitated again. "You're not...are you?"

"Of course I'm not angry at you!" the taijiya smiled. "I've been living with you long enough to know you're not an ungrateful person."

"And I've been living with you long enough to know that you're not a person who would conclude things irrationally and become angry without asking the reasons," Kagome smiled.

"Except towards those who could endanger your life," Sango corrected her.

"O-of course," she chuckled, knowing her guardian was referring to Bankotsu.

"Kagome."

The dog demon's voice suddenly reminded her that he was there as well and she turned to him. "Yes?" _'Oh God...he's not suspecting something is he...?_'she thought nervously.

At that moment, a soft rumbling caught her attention and she gave her brother a puzzled look. "Are you...purring...?"

Sesshoumaru responded with a frown. "Dog demons don't purr," he grumbled before lowering his gaze.

Kagome followed his line of vision until she saw a certain fire cat lying comfortable in his arms.

"Kirara!" she exclaimed surprised. She had completely forgotten about her, who had jumped into her brother's arms when she opened the door earlier. She was even more stunned to see her rubbing her tiny head against the dog demon's white tail.

After all, she was a cat and he was a dog...well sort of.

"Stop laughing and get it off of me before I rip its head off," Sesshoumaru growled.

Not realizing she had been laughing outwardly, Kagome suppressed her smile and carefully picked up Kirara, to which the fire cat responded with a sad mew.

"I think she likes you, Sesshoumaru-sama," Sango chuckled.

"Unfortunately, the feeling's not mutual," he grumbled, lowering his arms to his side.

"Well forgive me if I'm wrong, but Sesshoumaru-sama didn't just come here to pay me or Kirara a visit...did you?" she asked after a moment of silence.

Kagome raised her brows in surprise and turned to the dog demon. "You didn't?"

"With your birthday approaching, your brother should be more concerned with arranging the troops in the fortress instead of coming to see your guardian," the taijiya reasoned before looking at Sesshoumaru. "Am I right?"

The dog demon's face became serious as he finally parted his lips to explain his true motives. "The guards won't be enough to ensure Kagome's safety," he began.

"That's why you've come to ask me for my help huh?" she concluded.

Sesshoumaru frowned at her cocky choice of words. "I've come to give you permission to leave your quarters at all times and to order you to protect Kagome as her guardian," he haughtily corrected her.

Sango picked up her boomerang and stood up. "In that case, I'll have to disappoint you, Sesshoumaru-_sama_," she said as she glanced at Kagome and back at him again with determination filling her eyes. "I don't need your permission nor your order to protect Kagome."

With that, she hugged Kagome briefly and brushed past him. "Come Kirara," she said after opening one of the sliding doors.

The fire cat jumped out of Kagome's arms and followed her mistress out of the room.

"Insolence!" Sesshoumaru growled angrily after the taijiya left.

Kagome turned to her brother. "Please forgive her Sesshoumaru onii-sama, she didn't mean to insult you," she explained. "But although I don't approve of her attitude, I don't really blame her for saying those things."

The dog demon quickly shifted to look at her and she responded simply by looking him straight in the eyes.

"How would you react if someone was implying that you're merely protecting someone because you're allowed or ordered to do so?" she reasoned without looking away from his gold amber orbs.

Her question was answered by a stubborn silence.

She gently placed her hand on Sesshoumaru's as she continued. "I'm not saying that you're the one at fault onii-sama. I just hope you could abate your anger towards Sango after considering your answer to the question I just asked you."

She was relieved when her brother's eyes began to soften after she said that. Knowing his character, she couldn't expect him to actually give her a verbal answer and so she decided to drop the issue. "I think the rest needs our help with the preparations at the moment. Shall we go?" she suggested.

The dog demon nodded silently and followed her out of the room.

.-.-. that night .-.-.

"Here you go."

Bankotsu snapped out of his thoughts, only to see a bowl of warm soup on the wooden floor below his nose. "Thank you," he said after looking up to the one who placed it.

It was an old woman dressed in a ragged green robe. Several gray curly locks framed her wrinkled yet fair face, while the rest was tied into a knot at the back of her head. "You're very welcome young man," she croaked with a small smile. "Forgive my bewildered behavior earlier; it's just that we hardly get any visitors. As for your question earlier, I don't really mind letting you stay, but I'm afraid you'll have to sleep on the floor."

"Please, I'm already grateful to have a roof above my head for the night," he smiled as he looked around. It was a small house made of wood and clay and there was a small fire burning inside a shallow pit in the floor before him. The same fire seemed to be the only source of light in the room, but it was enough to lit up the small place. One of the corners of the house was shielded by a large brown cloth that was attached to the ceiling. Bankotsu concluded inwardly that it should be the sleeping quarters since it was the only place the light couldn't reach.

He had to admit that it was a bit run-down, but despite that, he felt quite comfortable as it was radiating the same coziness as Kagome's place. And honestly, he wasn't really bothered with the rather dirty floor since it wasn't his intention to stay the night from the very beginning.

Bankotsu took a small sip from the hot liquid and put the bowl back down. "It's delicious," he commented with a smile. He noticed that the elderly lady was staring at him and slightly averted his gaze of embarrassment. "I-is something wrong?" he asked awkwardly.

"Oh...I'm sorry..." she apologized. "It's just that I've never seen such a beautiful fabric before." She pointed at the clothes Bankotsu was wearing underneath his armor. "You must be a foreigner, aren't you?"

He nodded. "I came from the Northern Lands," he replied.

"Ah, the North," she nodded understandingly. "Brings back memories."

Bankotsu gave her a surprised look. "You come from the Northern Lands as well?"

The old woman nodded. "I used to live there a long time ago, but that was until we were driven away from our home by some horrible demons," she explained sadly.

CLUNK

Bankotsu darted his eyes to the origin of the sound, which seemed to be coming from behind the large cloth. He shifted to look at the woman, who seemed to be smiling.

"Well...now that both of you are awake, why don't you come out and greet our guest?" she said.

After a hesitant hush, the cloth finally lifted a little and revealed a small boy and girl.

A bit startled, Bankotsu watched the two shuffle on their bare feet over the floor to the elder. "These are...?" he asked.

"Oh of course," she smiled. "These are my grandchildren."

"Where are their parents?" he asked with an uncomfortable feeling rising in his chest. He knew he had to expect the worst when the three slightly dropped their faces.

"My son and daughter-in-law died when we were fleeing from the North," she explained after a while. "It was nine years ago..."

"I'm sorry," he sympathized as he looked at the two children.

The boy, who was wearing an oversized brown shirt and a pair of short green pants, didn't look like he was older than thirteen. And the girl, dressed in a worn-out gray dress, seemed to be his younger sister as she looked a bit older than ten.

"Don't worry about it young lad, it's already in the past. Right now, it's more important to take care of the young ones instead of mourning about the deceased, right?" she told him as she brought the girl to sit on her lap. "This is Yomi," she introduced the child in her arms and then placed her hand on the boy's shoulder. "And this is Karyl."

"Grandma, who's that?" the girl named Yomi asked shyly as she pointed at Bankotsu.

"That is our guest for the night," the old lady explained. "He came to the Western Lands to see the princess. He was looking for a place to stay for the night, so I decided to let him in."

Yomi widened her small brown eyes. "The princess? You mean Kagome-hime?"

Bankotsu shifted uncomfortably on his knees upon hearing the name, but did his best to ignore it and nodded.

"That's impossible," Karyl sniffed as he folded his arms together.

He raised a brow. "Why?" he asked innocently.

"It's for her safety," the boy replied, rolling his eyes. "Everybody knows that."

"Karyl!" the old woman shushed him before turning to Bankotsu with an apologetic expression. "I'm terribly sorry. It's just that he got scolded last year by one of the guards for going to near the princess' quarters."

Bankotsu faked a surprised expression. "Are the guards really that strict when it comes to protecting their princess?"

"Well yes. People like us are only allowed to go as far as the garden in front of her room to give her our thanks. After that, we would always attend lunch with the lord and lady so, we never get to see her or meet her in person," the elder explained.

"Feh! It's not like I was going to eat her!" Karyl stuck up his nose.

The old woman flashed him an angry look. "You were lucky that the younger prince had stopped the guard," she reminded him. "Or else you would've surely been punished."

"So...where is the room of the princess located?" Bankotsu suddenly asked.

Both kids and the elder looked at him with wide eyes. "You're not thinking of meeting Kagome-hime...are you?" Yomi asked with sparkles in her eyes. "Uwahhh...that's so brave!"

"That's stupid Yomi, not brave," Karyl corrected her before turning to Bankotsu. "But if you really want to know, it's on the east part of the fortress."

"Karyl!" the grandma snapped, causing him to cringe. She quickly shifted to look at Bankotsu. "Please don't listen to the boy. It was fortunate that it was Inuyasha-sama last time-"

"Yeah, if it was Sesshoumaru-sama, I would have been dead by now," the boy grinned.

"Who're they?" Bankotsu frowned in puzzlement.

"Sesshoumaru-sama is Kagome-hime's older brother and Inuyasha-sama is the youngest of the three," Yomi explained. "Sesshoumaru-sama is very strong."

"You better watch out for him if you see him," Karyl added. "He'll kill you in a second if he doesn't like you."

_'We'll see about that...'_ Bankotsu thought rather excited. "Anything else I should know before visiting the fortress tomorrow?"

"Just don't try anything stupid if you treasure your life, that's all," the kid smirked.

This time, the old woman agreed with him and nodded. "The pride of the dog demon is not to be tampered with; especially when it involves his beloved sister."

"They're really careful when it comes to her safety huh?" he said.

"Well yes, she's the pillar of peace after all," she said. "It is because of her that we're finally freed from the endless war with the East." There was a slight pause before she continued. " She's the one who showed me the meaning of a peaceful life."

Bankotsu was surprised to see a warm smile on her face directed towards him. "That is why this house will always welcome those who've come to give their thanks to her."

To this, he only responded with a small smile before lowering his gaze to his lap out of awkwardness. Something inside him was telling him that the conversation must stop right there, or else he would do or say something he might regret.

Fortunately, he was saved by an innocent yawn of the young Yomi.

"Grandma, I'm sleepy..." the little girl murmured, rubbing her eyes.

"Of course you are, it's already past bedtime," her grandmother smiled, stroking her silky hair. She turned to Bankotsu. "I'm going to put these two in bed now."

He nodded. "Please don't let me be in your way."

"There is a small well around the corner if you walk out of here, you can use the water to wash your face before going to sleep," she kindly explained. "Visiting the princess is only allowed until mid-afternoon so we're planning to leave early in the morning tomorrow. If you like, you could join us on the way to the fortress."

Bankotsu smiled. "How can I possible turn down such a kind offer." He watched the three disappear behind the brown cloth and stood up. _'I better take this opportunity to wash my face...'_ he decided inwardly and exited the house.

.-.-. some time later .-.-.

As soon as he caught the snoring of the old lady and the kids, he opened his eyes again and sat up from the hard floor. _ 'Time to go back...'_ he told himself in his thoughts.

Right before he walked out of the door, he paused in his steps and looked over his shoulder to the cloth that separated the living room from the sleeping quarters. Without much thinking, he pulled a small bag of money out of his sleeve. After placing it on top of a nearby cabinet, he softly left and closed the door behind him.

After he reached a hill on a safe distance from the small village, Bankotsu paused and let out a heavy sigh. _'What am I doing...?'_ he asked himself as he looked up to the dark starry sky. If he stayed in the house any longer, he would surely have given away his true motives, or worse...he would have given up on the mission.

But he knew he couldn't, that's why he had to leave.

Bankotsu started walking again, downwards the hill and into the dark forest. That's right, Kyoukotsu and Ginkotsu were still in the hands of Naraku, there was no way he could abandon them. They would never forgive him if he did...neither would he be able to forgive himself, that's why the mission has to go on. Even at the cost of...

He swallowed hard as the image of the old woman and her two grandchildren suddenly appeared in his mind. He quickly bit his lips to snap out of it. _'Pull yourself together Bankotsu...your men are counting on you...'_ he reminded himself as he shook off the doubt that consumed him. Time is already running out, there's no place for these useless emotions.

He knew he should have brought one or more companions with him before doing this. If he had, he wouldn't be having this internal struggle at all. He already knew it was wrong to go alone, but since he was the only of the group who looked the least hostile, he had no other choice.

Nevertheless, he got the information he wanted and now, his plan was going to be perfect no...flawless.

Relief filled his heart again when he saw yellowish gleams beaming through the thick trunks before him. It was the campfire of their resting spot.

"Welcome back!" they greeted him as he walked into the small clearing.

He breathed out heavily as he settled down near the fire.

Jakotsu, as always, was the first one to approach him with questions. "How did it go? I hope it wasn't too hard. We all felt very bad for not being able to help you out."

"It's okay, it was me who made the decision so no need to feel guilty about it," he replied casually. "It went pretty easy actually. I manage to gather the information without much effort."

"That's good to hear," Renkotsu smiled as he and the rest gathered around him. "So...what's the plan?"

Bankotsu sat straight and cleared his throat. "Okay, listen up guys..." he began.

.-.-. the next morning .-.-.

By the time the Shichinintai arrived at the border of the clearing where the fortress stood, there was already a small crowd assembled in front of the closed gates.

"Geez look at all that people." It was Renkotsu who spoke. "traveled from various places, just to give their thanks to the princess for making that barrier...how pathetic..."

Bankotsu's grip on his halberd tightened at this but he reluctantly shook it off again. No matter how angry he was, he had no right to lecture his companion about being disrespectful. Compared to the assassination of the princess, Renkotsu's blasphemy was nothing.

He turned to the rest of the group. "Let me make two things clear beforehand," he spoke sternly. "We're only here for a mission, so concentrate on that. Act according to the plan I explained to you last night and only kill when necessary. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yessir!" they nodded.

"What's the other point you wanted to make?" Jakotsu asked him.

Bankotsu's eyes drifted to the fortress. "The princess is my prey," he stated. "Any objections?"

"Whatever you say leader."

"Good."

He narrowed his eyes as he followed the roof of the building that reached above the high walls until he reach the east part of the fortress. _'Nothing personal princess, but your life is mine to take...' _ he thought to himself. _'In your eyes, I may be just as evil as all the previous assassins who attempted to kill you, but preventing my men from giving you a slow and painful death is the least I could do.'_

_'You hypocrite...'_

He sighed inwardly. _'What is it this time?'_

_'You let the innocent villagers survive the coming massacre, but you're going have them live a life in despair by taking away their only hope of peace? Good thinking Bankotsu.'_

_'I don't want you lecturing me right now...'_ he grumbled in reponse.

_'Say, have you ever thought of the possibility that Kagome might come here as well?' _

Bankotsu rolled his eyes. _'Why do you think I forbad the rest to kill mindlessly?'_

_'What if they disobey your order?'_

_'They won't, now stop asking me these annoying "what if..." questions.'_

_'I'm only trying to help...'_

_'You're not helping by making me doubt.'_

_'At least I'm showing you the flaws of your so-called perfect plan.'_

_'Look, they're not going to disobey me,'_ he repeated angrily in his mind. _'Besides, there's no guarantee that Kagome will be there.'_

_'Oh-oh, first you're positive about your group's reliability and now you're trying to convince yourself that there's no chance she'll be there.'_

Bankotsu ignored the last remark as the large gates of the fortress began to open.

Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw his group moving and raised his hand to halt them. "Act according to the plan," he ordered as he kept his eyes on the grating gates.

_'Don't say I didn't warn you...'_

_'Shut up!'_ he snapped inwardly one more time before he determinedly signalled to the rest to take action.

He watched how Renkotsu headed towards the mass of people while Mukotsu poured some of his custom made scent-masking liquid over his small body and clothes.

"Do you need to apply some on yourself leader?" he asked, offering him another bottle.

Bankotsu shook his head. "As soon as you and Renkotsu have started an uproar, the rest and I will start the assault on the fortress," he reasoned.

"Understood," his companion nodded as he put away the bottle and left the group to follow Renkotsu.

_'This had better work...'_ he thought as he glanced at the moving crowd again.

.-.-. that mid-afternoon .-.-.

Inuyasha watched the last group of people enter the dining quarters before going back to the east part of the fortress.

"Pfew, that was the last one," he puffed after entering his sister's room and closed the sliding doors behind him.

Rin, who was sitting at the center with a grand pink kimono enveloped around her slim figure, turned to the hanyou and bowed politely. "Inuyasha-sama," she greeted.

He responded with a nod before turning to Kagome who was sitting right behind the servant. "Never thought there would be so many of them huh?" he smiled at his sister.

When he received no reply, his smile dropped. "Aneue?" he called as he knelt down to her.

The real princess, who was wearing the clothes of a servant, had had her face lowered to the floor until her bangs shielded her eyes.

Inuyasha moved closer to have a better look at her face and widened his eyes when he heard her sob. "Aneue, what's wrong? Why are you crying?" he asked panicked.

"Don't worry Inuyasha-sama," Rin calmed him down before she turned to Kagome fully. "Although I'm only impersonating you, I too, shed tears when I heard the villager's touching words during some of your previous birthdays," she confessed.

Kagome finally lifted her face to look into the servant's brown eyes. "It must have been tough...I'm sorry for putting you through all this," she apologized.

Rin shook her head. "Don't say that Kagome-sama. I have always admired and respected you for your courage and sacrifice for the people of the Western Lands. It is my honor to be able to help you protecting them."

"Thank you," she returned a smile.

Both of them turned to Inuyasha when he suddenly spoke. "Aneue! You shouldn't be crying on your birthday!" he argued.

Rin smiled at this and started drying Kagome's tears with her pink sleeve. "Inuyasha-sama's right. Let these be the last tears you shed today, okay?" she said. "Now didn't you say you wanted to change into the kimono Sesshoumaru-sama gave you?"

Kagome nodded and sniffed for one last time.

"Well then, if Inuyasha-sama would be kind enough to excuse himself and wait outside, I shall help you get dressed," she hinted as she straightened up.

"No problem!" the hanyou smiled.

.-.-. later .-.-.

"You look very beautiful in this kimono Kagome-sama," the servant praised her as she got rid of some wrinkles in the smooth fabric near her feet. "There, it's done!"

"Thank you," Kagome smiled as she looked at herself in the mirror. Strangely enough, she looked even better than last time she wore it. Maybe it's because she had her hair loosely draped over her shoulders instead of tied up. Nevertheless, she was content with her appearance.

"Wait! I said wait! She's probably not done yet!"

Upon hearing Inuyasha's distressed voice, she turned to the doors that were already partly opened.

"Oh Sesshoumaru onii-sama!" she said surprised at the sight of the dog demon and quickly ran to him. "How do I look? I think I look better with my hair untied, what do you think?"

Her brother looked at her for a silent moment. "You look more graceful with your hair tied up," he said plainly.

Hearing this, the enthusiasm disappeared from her face.

"But," he suddenly continued, which surprised her. "your dauntless character is better expressed with the way you have your hair now."

Her lips grew into a wide smile. "I'll take that as a compliment," she grinned and pulled him further into the room by his sleeve. "So when are we going to have lunch? I'm hungry."

In respond to this, the dog demon simple turned to look at Rin, who was standing not to far from them.

The servant nodded understandingly. "Hai Sesshoumaru-sama," she said and excused herself from the room.

Inuyasha let her enter the corridor first before going into the room and closed the door behind him. "Geez aniue, you could have at least asked her," he frowned at Sesshoumaru.

But as always, the dog demon disregarded the comment with his habitual silence.

"Inuyasha, didn't you have something to give Kagome?" he said after a while, eyeing the young hanyou.

"Oh! I almost forgot!" Inuyasha reached into his red sleeve. He walked towards Kagome. "Here," he said as he put something into her hand.

Kagome looked at what her little brother had given to her and widened her eyes. "Kirei..." she gasped at the glistening marble at the center of her palm.

"It's called euhm...Tama or something..." Inuyasha stammered.

"Shikon no Tama," Sesshoumaru corrected him with a stern voice. "It's a sacred jewel guarded by the holy priestess Kikyou. How did it fall into your hands?"

"I didn't steal it, if that's what you're implying," Inuyasha snarled with narrowed eyes. "I went to see Kikyou-sama several days ago and asked her if I could give aneue the sacred jewel as her birthday present."

The dog demon raised a brow in stupefaction. "You asked the priestess and she just gave it to you?"

Inuyasha nodded. "She said that if it stayed in aneue's possession, it'll be okay."

Kagome smiled. "In that case, I shall keep it with me at all times." She put it into her sleeve and turned to her siblings again. "I wonder what's for lunch today," she mused aloud. She tilted her head in puzzlement when she saw the serious looks on their faces. "What's wrong? Sesshoumaru onii-sama? Inuyasha?"

Sesshoumaru turned to her. "Stay here and do not go outside this room no matter what happens, understood?" he ordered before looking at Inuyasha. "You stay here and protect your sister."

"Wakatta," the hanyou nodded firmly.

"W-wait! Where are you going? What's happen-..." she asked but was cut off by an awful screaming that came from outside the room.

Without sparing her another glance, Sesshoumaru flung the door open and disappeared through the doorway.

Inuyasha, who remembered what the dog demon ordered him, quickly walked towards the door and closed it before turning back to his sister. "Don't worry aneue, I'll protect you," the hanyou said determined.

But Kagome was anything but reassured as she slowly began to realize what was going on. _'Someone has come...to kill me...'_ she thought frightened. Consumed by fear, her legs suddenly felt weak and she collapsed to her knees on the floor.

Inuyasha immediately ran to her side. "Aneue are you okay?" he asked worried.

"Y-yeah..." she responded with a trembling voice. She clenched her hands together and pushed them against her heart, which felt as though it was trying to jump out of her chest. _'Calm down...calm down damn it!'_ she told herself inwardly. _'It's no use being afraid...think...'_ She looked at her surroundings. _'I can't just stay here doing nothing while everybody out there is fighting the intruders...'_

She grabbed Inuyasha's hand and forced herself to stand up again. "We can't stay here, we have to leave this room!"

The hanyou pulled at her hand. "But aniue told us not to go outside no matter what!" he argued.

"We can't just stay here doing nothing! If we don't leave now, the enemy might surround us in no time! We have to keep moving!" she reasoned and ran towards the door, pulling him with her. With a hard pull, she jerked it open and ran into the garden.

Fortunately, there were no guards or enemies around when they left the room, which allowed them to enter the garden without obstructions. "W-where are we going?" Inuyasha asked.

"To the main building, where mother and father are," she panted in reply while avoiding some bushes and rocks on the way. _'And probably Sesshoumaru onii-sama as well...' _"We're almost there...just a little bit further..."

Not long after that, the main garden finally came into view, but what was happening there made the two halt their steps abruptly.

Soldiers were lying all over the floor. Men and woman, holding their children tightly to them, were running for their lives towards the gates.

While she stared at the people struggling to exit the fortress, she suddenly noticed three individuals moving into the opposite direction of the stream.

_'Who're they?'_ she thought as she tried to distinguish them from the moving crowd.

She was about to give up as the three reached the building where the villagers were fleeing from, but a sudden irregularity in the flow of people granted her the sight of something that resembled a halberd, just before they went inside.

_'A-a halberd...!'_ she thought shocked. _'Could it be...no...it can't be him!'_

"Aneue! Aneue!"

She was shaken out of her reverie when she heard Inuyasha calling out to her and she turned to look at him.

"We shouldn't stay there! It's too dangerous!" She heard him say through the screaming and wailing. It took her a moment to respond to this, but she nodded eventually. "Y-you're right," she agreed with a rather confused expression.

Just when they were about to advance forward to the gates, something flew through the air before them and crashed into the wall to their left.

BRRRWWAAAAMM

Both Kagome and Inuyasha averted their eyes from the dust that emerged from the impact.

After the cloud dispersed, Kagome let go of Inuyasha's hand and took a step closer to the wall to identify the dark object that was lying amidst the debris. She covered her mouth with a hand and widened her eyes when she saw the taijiya, battered and covered in blood, on the floor. "S-Sango!" she cried, kneeling down next to her. "Sango! Please answer me! Open your eyes!"

Much to her relief, the taijiya slowly opened her eyes and moved her face to look at her. "K-Kagome..." she groaned with the word 'pain' written all over her face.

"Sango, what happened! Who did this to you?" Kagome asked as she looked at the nasty wounds on her body. Tears began to sting her eyes when her guardian suddenly coughed up a lot of blood. "Sango! Please hold on! I'll get someone to treat your wounds!"

She was about to get up again, until Sango suddenly grabbed her wrist. "K-Kagome...you have to...run...run away..." she breathed heavily. "...they're too strong...they'll kill you..."

After saying that, the taijiya closed her eyes again.

Kagome widened her eyes. "S-Sango?" she called out. "Sango! No...don't leave me..I won't have it!"

"Well well princess, so there you are..." An unfamiliar voice spoke from the opposite direction.

She immediately turned around to the voice. "Who's there!" she snarled with tears rolling down her cheeks.

Before her, on the elevated wooden floor of the mansion, stood a bulky man dressed in dark blue with brown armor around his shoulders and torso. He had spiked black hair and green stripes coloring his cheekbones and forehead. On each of his hands, he had metal claws equipped, but what terrified her the most was the blood that trickled down the steel.

"Suikotsu's the name, my lovely princess," he introduced himself.

"You..." she narrowed her eyes in disgust and hatred. She had planned to lunge forward to the murderer but that was until Inuyasha suddenly placed himself between her and the assassin. "I-Inuyasha..." she gasped with wide eyes.

"Run aneue! I'll keep him busy!" he cried as he jumped into a fighting stance.

"B-but!" she argued.

"There's no time to hesitate aneue! Just g-"

Kagome watched in terror how the assassin suddenly appeared in front of them and smacked the hanyou aside with the back of his arm.

"Inuyasha!" she cried and reached out to him. But before she could move an inch, a metal claw was already placed against her neck.

"It's would be easy to kill you right now. Too bad I've got an order to obey," Suikotsu chuckled near her ear.

"You monster!" she hissed.

She winced when the man pushed a sharp edge into her skin and drew blood. "Watch your tongue princess. I may not be allowed to kill you but I can still hurt you," he growled.

At that moment, Kagome saw a brief distraction on Suikotsu's face and watched how he hastily jumped away from her. Immediately after that, something made a loud crash with the floor before her and caused her to topple backwards to the floor.

BWAAAAMMM

After pushing herself to sit up, Kagome turned to look at the place of the impact, only to see Sesshoumaru standing before her with his clawed hand glowing green. "S-Sesshoumaru onii-sama!" she cried, relieved to see her brother.

"You idiot!" he barked, causing her to cringe. "I told you not to leave your room! Why didn't you listen to me!"

"I'm sorry..." Kagome apologized guilty. "I just..."

"Take Inuyasha and run!" he cut her off sternly.

She widened her eyes. "But what about you? What about mother and father?" she asked.

"Father is fighting another enemy, mother is with him, you needn't worry about them," he told her. "I will catch up to you as soon as I've disposed of these scum!"

Suikotsu smirked at this. "Big mouth huh? We're not called the Shichinintai for nothing!" he spat as he lunged forward at the dog demon with his steel claws.

CLASH

Sesshoumaru managed to deflect the attack with Tenseiga and pushed back the enemy. "What are you doing! Take Inuyasha and run! Now!" he ordered with a growl.

Kagome quickly got back to her feet and ran to Inuyasha, who was knocked unconscious by Suikotsu's blow earlier. She gathered the young one in her arms and turned to the direction of the gates.

"Where do you think you're going?"

Kagome almost jumped up of shock when a hideous man suddenly appeared in the middle of her path.

"W-who're you?" she asked frightened.

The man, whose height barely reached above her waist, grinned. "I'm Mukotsu, a member of the Shichinintai of course," he told her as he walked closer to her. "Gosh I never though you were that pretty."

Uncomfortable by the way he uttered those words, Kagome took a step backwards in fear. "Don't come any closer!" she cried.

Hearing Kagome's cry, Sesshoumaru became distracted, which prevented him from parrying an incoming attack from the clawed assassin.

SLASH

"You better pay attention demon, or you might lose your life before your sister's," Suikotsu smirked as he bounced backwards to a safe distance.

A very displeased look appeared on Sesshoumaru's face as he glanced at the four red gashes underneath his shredded armor and haori on his chest.

"Sesshoumaru onii-sama!" Kagome cried.

"Don't worry about me! Just go!" the dog demon ordered without turning to her.

Kagome turned back to the short man in front of her and flashed him an angry look. "Go away! Or I'll make you regret it!" she snapped threateningly, although she was already at her limits.

To her surprise, the short assassin suddenly stepped backwards and created a safe distance between them. "Oh don't worry princess, I'm not the one to kill you," he told her. "But even if I let you pass, I doubt you will be able to leave this place." As he said that, he pointed to behind him.

Kagome looked at what Mukotsu was referring to and painfully realized that he was right.

A mass of people was blocking the gate as they all struggled to save their own lives, making it impossible for her to escape through the main exit. When she turned to look at the mansion, she was shocked to see black smoke coming out of the windows and open doorways. _'They set the mansion on fire..?'_ she thought appalled.

"You might want to try the back door...if you have one..." Mukotsu suggested as he grinned. "Oh and don't forget to run princess, because our leader likes to chase down his preys."

Without another moment to hesitate, she took one last glance at her brother before running into the opposite direction of the gates, into the smoking mansion.

"Kagome!" Sesshoumaru cried to stop her, but failed as she already disappeared into the thick smoke. "Damn it!"

"That silly princess, she could have just walked over those villagers, but instead, she dug her own grave by running into that place," Suikotsu laughed. "...where our leader is right now."

The dog demon's eyes flashed red for a brief moment. "You bastards, I will kill you and then finish off your leader before he can touch Kagome."

"Yes, but first, you'll have to kill us," the assassin smirked evilly.

.-.-.

The sight of chaos was never pleasing to look at. So Bankotsu thought as he scanned his surroundings and listened to the frantic screaming and wailing around him. With the cushions and low wooden dining tables scattered all over the place, he concluded that it should be the dining area...or should have been...

_'What in the world did Renkotsu and Mukotsu do to create such havoc...'_ he wondered in himself.

"Yo leader! What are you spacing out for!" a familiar voice pulled him out of his thoughts.

It was Renkotsu who spoke. The bastard...always having that sadistic look on his face.

"What should we do now?" he heard him ask. "Burn this place down?""

There was a short moment of silence in which he hesitated. But eventually he opened his mouth. "Yeah...let's do that."

It was no use combing the area for their target, the fastest way to lure preys out of their hiding places was to start a fire and smoke them out. And it had always worked so far.

"All right!" Renkotsu took a brown gourd from behind his back and pulled out the cork.

"_Only_ the building," Bankotsu commanded him with a strict look.

"Sure thing." Was his companion's casual reply. He took in a large sip and spewed the gourd's content to the wooden floor. As soon as the liquid left his mouth, it turned into fiery flames and attached themselves to anything that was burnable.

Soon the entire room was enveloped by fire, accompanied by Renkotsu's sick laughter. "Wuhahaha, run for your lives! Run before you get burned!"

_'What a horrible sight...'_ Bankotsu thought to himself as he stared indifferently into the flames. _'We should quickly finish this and leave...'_

Suddenly, he caught a glimpse of black shooting pass an open doorway to his left and his lips curled upwards into a mischievous grin. _'Running away huh?'_ he thought tempted. Chasing after running targets was always something he couldn't resist after all.

Without hesitation, he flung his halberd over his shoulder and darted into the hallway.

During his pursuit, he came across a room with a small mirror standing on a low wooden dresser. As curiosity took over, he stopped running and slowly approached it. After picking up the neat piece of art, he raised it until it was on the same level as his face and smirked. "It's good to see you again," he said to his reflection.

Immediately after he said that, he caught a faint gasp coming from an unknown direction. Having no more use for the mirror, he dropped it to the wooden floor before darting his eyes around. "Give it up! You can't hide from me forever!" he shouted with a loud and clear voice.

.-.-.

Kagome could practically hear her own heartbeat as she ran down the hallway with Inuyasha in her arms.

She didn't know how many corpses she had already encountered on the way, but every time she accidentally stepped on one, she pleaded inwardly for their forgiveness.

With the suffocating smog lingering in the passageway, she could hardly see what's in front of her and how far she was, but she would never give up. Even at the cost of her life, she would make sure that Inuyasha survived. Although she couldn't see it very clearly, she guessed she should be running near the dining area at the moment.

A few seconds after she walked past one of the entrances leading into the dining area, she detected another pair of footsteps over the floor behind her...and a couple of seconds later she realized that it was actually chasing her.

_'I have to hide...'_ she told herself and quickly took a turn at the first doorway she encountered.

As soon as she entered the room, her eyes quickly searched around for a good hiding place. _'Where should I hide? Come on Kagome...use your head!'_ Suddenly she noticed the wardrobe that was built inside the wall. _'There!'_ she decided inwardly.

Without a second to waste, she quickly opened the door to the wardrobe and hid herself in it together with Inuyasha.

_'Calm down...they shouldn't be able to find you here...' _she convinced herself as she tried to breathe as silent as possible.

"Ngh..."

Kagome looked down at Inuyasha and realized that he was starting to drift out of his unconsciousness state. "Shh," she shushed him as she held him closer.

She froze when she heard someone entering the same room and made herself as small as possible with Inuyasha against her chest. _'Please...make them go away...' _ she pleaded with her eyes closed.

For some reason, the individual had decided to remain in the same room and Kagome prayed it wasn't because of him or her finding out about their hiding place.

"It's good to see you again."

Kagome widened her eyes and gasped at the voice. _'T-this voice...!'_

When she heard the sound of glass breaking, she knew she had done something very careless. But no matter what, there was no way she could ignore the familiarity of the voice.

"Give it up! You can't hide from me forever!"

After hesitating a short moment, Kagome made a final decision and put the sleeping Inuyasha curled up on top of a pile of clothes next to her.

"D-don't go...aneue..." the hanyou whispered softly.

Kagome placed a soft kiss on his small forehead and removed some strands of hair from his face. "Live on for me," she whispered into one of his white ears.

.-.-.

For one moment, he was afraid he had to turn the entire fortress upside down to find the one he was assigned to kill. But he was stupefied when a door of a nearby wardrobe, which was built in the walls, slid open.

_'Talk about being stupid...'_ he thought as he watched a young lady come from behind the sliding doors.

She had long untied raven-black hair draping over her shoulders and chestnut colored eyes, and was dressed in a light-yellow kimono with red sakura-blossoms randomly embroidered on it; a garment that only one of a royal family could afford.

"You're the hime of the Western Lands?" he asked straightforwardly.

The girl, with a surprised expression on her face, nodded.

He grinned as he readied his large halberd.

Without warning, he stabbed it through the girl's stomach. "You're making it far too easy for me, hime-sama," he chuckled as he looked into her shocked eyes.

He slowly pulled back his halberd and watched the princess fall down to her knees.

Bankotsu was just about to turn around and leave, but halted in shock when he heard someone call his name.

"B-Ban...kotsu..."

Someone he knew very well.

Bankotsu turned to the girl fully with widened eyes.

Two streams of transparent liquid flowed from her sorrowful eyes while a red one sprung from the corner of her mouth.

"Y-you..." Bankotsu gasped disbelievingly. And then suddenly, a name flashed through his mind.

"K-Kagome...?"

To his surprise, the princess smiled at him before she closed her eyes and started to topple sideward.

At that moment, he finally realized what he had done.

"Kagome!" he cried as he let go of his blood-soaked halberd and caught her before she hit the floor

He held her close to him. "Why...why didn't I realize it before..." he scolded himself.

"Y-you know..." she said with a hoarse voice as she raised her hand to his cheek.

It felt cold, but he remembered this touch...her touch...more than anything else. He placed his hand over hers and squeezed it with regret.

"I...I always had the same nightmare...over and over again..." she croaked as tears left the corners of her eyes. "...where I would find myself...surrounded by fiery flames...like a bird in a cage...of fire..." She paused when she felt blood entering her lungs and coughed.

"Please don't talk anymore...I'll bring you to someone who can treat you..." Bankotsu hushed her with a gentle voice as he wiped the blood from her chin with his sleeve.

Kagome shook her head and stubbornly continued. "And then...just before I have lost all hope...a warrior would appear...he would extinguish the flames...rescue me... and take me away to a faraway land...where we live...happily...ever after..."

She blinked and caused more tears to flow down her cheeks. "I guess...I was right...about the beginning..." she smiled sadly. "...but...I was wrong...about the ending..."

Bankotsu widened his eyes when her hand slipped out of his and landed on the floor with a soft thud next to her. "Kagome?" He held her lifeless body close to him and caressed her soft cheeks.

"NO-O-O-O-O!"

His loud cry, filled with pain and regret, echoed through the fortress.

.-.-.

What should have been a happy and joyful day had now become a sorrowful one as the last bit of surviving villagers escaped from the blazing fortress.

Despite the remaining soldiers' efforts to extinguish the fire, it had managed to spread its boundaries to the vital structure of the building and started to eat away its supporting function.

Within time, the supports eventually gave way and the mansion collapsed, taking all the people inside with it.

With the death of its creator, the barrier lost its right to exist and disappeared in a flash from the borders of the Western Lands.

Also with that, the empire of the West had come to an sad and abrupt end.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**:  
Pretty sad...I guess that's how fate works. He was struggling until the very end, only to realize that he had made the wrong choice after all. I almost cried when I wrote the last part of this chapter.

Sorry for the late update. I meant to update sooner, but the homework just kept piling up one after another. Anyhow, I hope you have enjoyed reading this really really long chapter (honestly, I've never posted a chapter this long haha), which took me almost forever to finish! I won't say 'goodbye' because you know what? It isn't the final chapter of this story :)! Frustrated? Here, let me explain:

After reading all your lovely reviews, I noticed that almost everybody had misunderstood what I wrote as a preview for this chapter. I wrote:

"All of this will be unraveled in the next and final chapter of the book called 'A Tale From The Past'."

Remember that we're actually reading the book called 'A Tale From The Past' through Bankotsu's (present time) eyes? So by saying 'final chapter of the book' I meant the book (tale) and not this story :). But I don't really blame you, since it's already 25 chapters ago that I mentioned Bankotsu of the present time and the book that he found in the old library. Plus the fact that it's actually a story being told inside a story so it's pretty confusing, that I don't deny :). So...one more time, don't abandon this story yet, because it is yet to be finished! Before you read the next chapter, it's probably wise to reread the first chapter again to refresh your memories:)

Greets,

Kittymui

.-.-.-.

_'Italic'_: thoughts  
"...": spoken words  
.-.-.-.-.: time gap  
-CAPSLOCKED WORDS-: noises

.-.-.-.

**Next chapter: A hidden epilogue**

.-.-.

Just when he thought the book would help him find an answer behind the recurrent dream, it had only thickened the mystery. Was he, in his past life, really the person described in the tale? The one who caused the entire Western reign to fall? So many unanswered questions and an obvious answer, but how can he possibly accept it? Wait...what's that between the carbon of the cover? A handwritten note?

.-.-.

**Vocabulary:**

**taijiya:** (demon) exterminator  
**onii-sama: **(big) brother  
**hime:** princess  
**aneue/aniue:** a respectful way to call you older sister/brother  
**hanyou: **half-demon  
**hai: **yes  
**kirei:** beautiful  
**wakatte: **understood

.-.-.-.

**REPLIES TO REVIEWS:**

**Wake-Robin: **Yup, sure is! Thanks for reviewing!

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**sangotaku6: **Thanks! I'm happy to hear that!

**sesshomaruobsessed:** .-.gladly receives the chocolate and ramen.-. Thank you very much! Not really THE last chapter haha but I guess you already figured it out by now :).

**TeenAnimeLover:** Thanks! I'm glad you think that way :). I'll try to update sooner next time.

**Seiteki Hekireki Jishinkaminarikajioyaji:** How did you like the drama? I've created more elements in this chapter (than planned) to make it more dramatic, I hope it wasn't too much :). Sorry for the late update!

**doragon no mizu: **Thank you! Glad you understand!

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**BelleDayNight:** That was a very nice and long review. Thanks a bunch! Anyway, it's not the end yet like I said in the author's note, so don't worry (yet) hahaha. (About) five more chapters from me and you'll be freed from my story's clutches hahaha. Okay, I was kidding about the clutches thing but I did meant when I said five more chapters. I mean, there are still some mysteries unsolved and business unfinished so I can't end the story just like that, can I? I like it when you tell me which part of the story/chapter you like :), thanks! I'm happy to know that so many readers like this story of mine, because I've been looking forward to writing this story ever since I first came up with ideas to write it, which was about a year and a half ago. Yup, I'm really proud of it indeed!

**SesshomarusGirl15:** Thanks for reviewing! Hope you liked this chapter!

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**azn-anime-kagome12: **I'll try to update sooner! Thanks for reviewing!

**renyun: **Thanks! I will!

**tidusXyuna637: **I'm glad you loved it :). Haha you're very welcome, I just want readers to know that their reviews are very much appreciated, including yours!

**Unseen Moon:** Thanks!

**punkgoddess:** Hope you liked this chapter despite the sad events! There are still more chapters to come! Be sure to read them too, thanks!

**thunder siste:** I'm afraid so...hope you liked the chapter regardless of the sad things that have happened :). But don't worry, more chapter are to come and they'll be better :)!

**Kuroe:** I'm happy to hear that :) thanks!

**Aigle: **Sorry for the late update, I hope you haven't bitten all your nails off :), just kidding. Thanks for reviewing!

**Ayome: **Thank you!

**Sachichan16: **I'm flattered to hear that, really. Thanks a lot :)! Hope you liked this chapter as well!

Posted: 29 September 2005  
Last Edited: 29 September 2005  
Spelling check: YES

**DISCLAIMER: **I do not own Inuyasha or any characters of it. And I do not own whatever elements of this story that seem familiar and had already been used by other creative individuals before. But... I do own the idea of mixing all of these elements together into a new story!


	27. A hidden epilogue

**A TALE FROM THE PAST**

-by Kittymui-

**A hidden epilogue**

**_AN:_**_ My thanks to **Kyia Star** and **TitianWren**, who had helped me with some grammar issues. Special thanks to **Kyia Star** again for mentioning a flaw in my storyline and giving me an awesome (and inspirational) idea to alleviate it :)! You should check out their stories as well, they're great!_

With a handful of water, he washed his face a couple of times before opening his eyes again.

His calm breathing was the only sound that echoed in the small bathroom as he watched the last drip of water leave his skin and fall towards the half filled sink below his nose.

Leaning onto its edge with both hands, he slowly raised his face to gaze into the rectangular mirror that hung on the wall before him. His eyes widened for a brief moment at his reflection.

Though the resemblance was uncanny, he needn't think twice to realize that the face he saw behind the glass wasn't his.

It wasn't only because of the dark cross that adorned the forehead of his reflection. But there was also something different emitting from his eyes, an unknown emotion hidden behind the blue-gray glow.

Before he could figure out what it was, however, a droplet trickled down from his wet bangs and into his eyes, forcing him to close them in irritation.

When he looked into the mirror again, after reopening them, he found himself gazing at his normal reflection. It showed an exhausted expression with a pair of reddened eyes that held nothing but disbelief in them.

Refusing to give it another thought, he reached for a nearby towel and dabbed the remaining moisture from his face, before hurriedly going back into his bedroom.

Upon entering, he suddenly noticed that his room had become brighter than before and searched for another light source besides the one on his desk.

He was surprised to see the first gleams of dawn coming through the window. _'Is it morning already?'_ he thought stupefied as he darted his eyes at the clock on the bedside cabinet next to his bed.

The red digits told him that it was almost seven in the morning.

Flabbergasted, he let himself collapse in his chair behind his desk. He realized that he had been reading non-stop ever since he got home from that abandoned library.

He ran a hand through his short bangs and flung his rough braid over his shoulder to his chest. _'It's dry...'_ he thought dully. _ 'Well of course it is...I've been reading all night long.'_ His attention went back to the book resting on his desktop.

Mindlessly, he began flipping through the old pages again and stopped when a certain page came into view.

It was the page with the only drawing in the entire book. The one the character named Kagome made of the blind assassin while he was training.

His eyes slowly traveled to the short annotation that accompanied the drawing and read the letters of the name described in it, one he knew all too well.

B-a-n-k-o-t-s-u

"Bankotsu..." he mouthed as he looked at the person portrayed in the illustration. _'Is this really me...?'_

He closed the book to look at the degenerating title in gold. _'Am I...responsible for this...?'_ he mused as he read the subtitle (saying 'The fall of the Western Land'). But he quickly shook off the thought as he let the book fall on his lap and leaned onto the arm of his chair. He propped his head on top of his palm. _'Have I gone mad?'_ he asked himself while glancing at the scarlet hardback. _'If...it's really history that's described in the tale...then who could have written it? Even if someone had found the journals of Kagome and...the assassin, it would still be impossible to describe the thoughts and feelings of those two so vividly...'_

_ 'Unless they survived...but that's not possible...'_ he debated inwardly. _'If I'm really the reincarnation...burdened with a memory fragment of regret...then I must have died back then...'_ He realized how absurd it sounded and forced himself to snap out of it. _'This is ridiculous...!'_

As he thought that, he gradually noticed something unusual about the cover of the book on his lap. Not sure if his tired eyes were deceiving him, he picked it up and looked at it more carefully from different angles.

_'There's no mistaking it...'_ he thought as he narrowed his eyes. _ 'The back-cover is thicker than the front.'_

After seconds of close examination, he realized that the back-cover was made of two layers of cardboard instead of one. Even more peculiar was the fact that the two layers didn't touch each other, as if something in between was preventing them from doing so.

In order to find out what it was, he peeked into the thin gap while holding the book below the desk-lamp.

_'There's something stuck inside the cover...'_ he concluded as he sat back again.

After some failed attempts with his fingers to reach the object, he reluctantly sought the help of the delicate set of pincers, which his roommate frequently used to trim his eyebrows. He really hated it every time his roommate does that.

But this time he admitted that the tool turned out to be quite useful, as he managed to pull out the object from inside the cover in a single try.

_'This is...'_ He swallowed hard as he looked at the frail envelope between the pincers' claws, carrying the shades of decay.

Something was telling him that it could be the last piece of the puzzle of mysteries and there was a chance that unsealing it would solve everything.

But why was he afraid to reveal its content?

By opening the envelope, there would be no turning back, probably.

It could turn out that it was only by chance he and the assassin looked alike or that it was sheer coincidence the final event told in the tale was exactly the same as the one he kept seeing in his recurrent dream.

He wanted to hold on to these possibilities as he unsealed the envelope and revealed several sheets of paper folded neatly inside. But the moment he unfolded what turned out to be a handwritten letter, he knew he had to prepare himself for the worst.

- - -

_I woke up when I heard her voice and I realized, as sanity began to seep back into my blurred mind, that I was lying inside a wardrobe. Its door wasn't completely closed and I could clearly hear voices coming from behind the thin gap. Who was she talking to and why did she sound so weak? So I thought as I moved my face closer to the small opening._

_ I couldn't believe what I saw. There she was, lying in the arms of an unfamiliar man; a scarlet stain defiling the stomach of her beautiful yellow kimono. The large pool of blood beneath her seemed to be growing bigger and bigger with each second that went by. When I saw the bloodstained halberd lying on the floor behind the stranger, I knew. _

_With my very own eyes, I saw the last breath of life leaving her lips and an awful feeling was beginning to rise in my stomach as I watched her frozen form. I felt like I was going to throw up, but in the end, I didn't. Probably because there were too many unanswered questions occupying my head at that moment. Why was she smiling at her killer? Why was the murderer crying when he held her lifeless body? Did they know each other? But how?_

_Not long after the man cried out in pain and regret, he put her down and picked up his halberd before standing up again. Like a lost soul, he turned around and strode out of the room with the edge of his weapon grating over the floor behind him._

_I didn't leave my hiding spot until I made sure his footsteps were distant enough. But as soon as they were, I ran out of the wardrobe and knelt down besides her. I tried calling her name and jostling her by her shoulders, hoping she would open her eyes one more time. But no matter how hard I cried and jostled, I knew, deep down inside, that she would not ever wake up again._

_Blinded by anger and drowning in misery, I dashed out of the room and chased down the one who carried the scent of blood. Her blood._

_I stopped in my tracks when I found the one I was looking for. He seemed to be wandering around mindlessly through the corridors._

_I was planning to lunge forward at him, but I halted when he suddenly ran towards something and knelt down._

_When I sneaked closer to have a look, I found a horrified look on his face as he gazed down at something on the floor. Following his line of vision, I realized he was looking at two infant corpses._

_Did he know them? I wondered, but shook it off again as I reminded myself of something more important. Just when I thought it was my chance to catch him off guard, another stranger appeared out of nowhere. __With the smell of charcoal and alcohol coming from him, I realized he was the one responsible for the fire._

"Hey leader! Did you finish her off?" the arsonist asked.

_Well what do you know...the blue-gray eyes man turned out to be the leader of the gang._

"Did you kill them?" _I heard the leader ask him back with a hint of suppressed anger in his voice._

"Oh you mean these two brats?" his subordinate responded. "The boy was getting really cocky when I bumped onto his grandmother so I taught him a little lesson. But then I figured he would be lonely down there so I decided to send his little sister along as well."

_I was fuming when I heard him saying that in such a casual manner, but when I gazed at the kneeling assassin, I was surprised to see him agitated as well._

"What happened to the elder?" he asked.

"Heh! After seeing the bodies of her grandchildren, she went crazy and jumped into the sea of fire."

_That moment, I thought I heard something snap, but I wasn't sure whether it was the burning wood or the leader's sanity._

_In one second he seemed pretty composed despite his distressed expression, but in the other, he had already plunged his halberd through his buddy's chest, just like that. Without warning. Nothing._

_But what startled or rather shocked me even deeper, was the name that the dying assassin uttered before he joined the dead bodies on the floor._

_Bankotsu._

_Suddenly, all questions that were haunting me before were resolved at that very moment. _

_Why she smiled...and why he mourned...how they knew each other..._

_All questions...except for one._

_Being rational was never my nature. So I concluded as I already found myself dashing towards the man._

_With tears burning my eyes, I threw myself at him and grabbed him by his sleeves. I looked straight into his startled eyes as I growled at him._

"Why! Why did you kill her! You loved her, didn't you?"

_A sudden change in his facial expression told me that he finally knew who I was. _ _I heard him gasp before he raised his head to look at the ceiling. I was surprised when he suddenly started laughing like a maniac._

"So that's how you punish me huh! That's how you make me atone for my sins!"

_ I had no idea whom he was talking to and what he was talking about, but when I saw him space out again, I jerked at his sleeves. _"You bastard! Snap out of it! I want you to answer my question!"

_That moment I felt streams of tears gliding down my cheeks and I realized that my question had actually sounded more like I was begging than ordering him to answer me._

"S-she loved you..." _I added, broken in sobs. _"You murderer... Give me back my family..."

_I knew my words had caught his attention when he slowly gazed down at me again._

_The next thing I knew, I was hit by something hard at the back of my neck. After that, everything became hazy before my eyes and I started to lose my balance. But just before I completely blacked out, I got to see his face one more time. _

_There was the same sorrowful look in his blue-gray eyes, but I was pretty sure I saw something else in them as well. His eyes told me he was determined to do something... Now that I think about it, it seemed more like an intention._

_It was the intention to die._

- - -

As Bankotsu reached the end of the first page, he took the opportunity to take a break and digest what he had read so far. After a deep breath, he flipped to the second sheet of paper and started to read again.

- - -

_I didn't know how long I stayed unconscious. Nor did I know how much time had passed since I awoke. I only knew that, by the time I realized I wasn't dreaming anymore, I was lying on a fresh green carpet, surrounded by trees instead of burning flames._

_I had no clue how I got there, but somehow I felt it was related to the assassin. But it didn't make sense. He could have easily killed me or let me die by leaving me in the burning fortress. Why did he help me escape instead? _

_When I got back to my feet again, I realized I was alone. Where did he go? I wondered._

_Remembering what I saw in his eyes before I passed out, I begin to wonder if he had gone back to the fortress to die with her. I didn't know and somehow, I felt I didn't want to._

_That moment, a long and chilly breeze brushed my cheeks and I knew I had begun to cry again. And as I wept in silence, I felt as though the forest was mourning with me with their rustling leaves, or what was left of them._

_As if wanting to remind me of something, the wind started to push me into an unknown direction. And I, who had no home to return to, decided to let it guide me._

_Strangely enough, the wind seemed to be blowing into the same direction each day. _

_Until one day, it stopped._

_When I came to my senses again, I found myself standing before a small house._

_How long have I been walking? I didn't know._

_Though my demon blood allowed me to ignore the need to feed myself, the effects of my prolonged lack of sleep seemed to be catching up with me at that moment and I was forced to invite myself in the small cottage. _

_The thick layer of dust and countless spider webs that I witnessed inside told me it had been abandoned for a very long time. Aided by the light that beamed through the ragged curtain of the small window near the door behind me, I distinguished a low wooden table to my left, two cabinets standing against the wall in the back and a cooking corner to my right. It was not until then I began to realize that it could be the place I was told about back at the fortress._

_To confirm my thoughts, I quickly made my way towards one of the cabinets. When I saw the box that was resting on the lowest shelf, I knew I was right._

_After removing its dusty lid, I felt an array of emotions gushing over me. I experienced sorrow, relief, despair...and anger at the same time as I picked up the uppermost journal._

_It wasn't hers. I concluded as I flipped open to the first handwritten page. My blood boiling in anger, I realized it was the assassin's journal. I wasn't all too happy at the thought of reading about his experiences, but I carried on nevertheless._

_It shocked me deeply when his journal told me that he was the leader of the infamous Shichinintai, which, I recall, was the group of assassins father warned us about. The lord of the North didn't lie when he told father about the group heading southeast. Naraku had indeed invited them to his fortress._

_For he wanted them to assassinate the princess of the West, the wicked bastard._

_The journal also said something about Naraku's scheme, which forced the group to accept the mission. But I could still not forgive the assassin for killing her, even if he only wanted to guarantee the lives of his companions._

_To my surprise and great annoyance, the writing ended abruptly without having reached the last page. The last thing mentioned was the arrival of the group near the border between the East and West. Eager to know what happened next, I quickly reached out to the second journal of the pile. But after reading the first two sentences of the first page, I realized whose journal I was holding in my hands and burst into tears._

_I laughed through my tears as I read about her childhood, about how she lost her father and met her new one, about her first encounter with the cold demon, the day she created the barrier to protect him and the day she knew she had to leave her family._

_It was not until the fourth journal that I read about her encounter with the assassin, who was severely injured by the time she found him in the creek. She also wrote about his blindness, which she presumed was caused by poison. And I came to the conclusion that his injuries were somehow related to his unfinished journal._

_As I read on, my heart felt warm when I sensed her happiness conveyed by the words with which she described the things she experienced together with the blind assassin. But I also became angry with myself, for not being able to protect her and share her pain when she was hurt the most, like the assassin did._

_The journal ended right before she left for the fortress and I painfully realized, with tears stinging my eyes and guilt piercing my conscience, why the assassin didn't realize what he was doing until he killed her._

_He didn't recognize her._

_I cried hard as tears flowed down my cheeks uncontrollably. I cried until I could cry no more. My eyelids became heavier by each second that passed in silence, probably because I cried too much. Eventually, I found myself unable to keep my eyes open any longer and fell asleep. _

_At least, I thought I did._

_- - -_

As the suspense increased, Bankotsu quickly shifted to the final page of the letter.

- - -

_I didn't realize I had begun to dream until it ended. By the time I woke up again, it was already afternoon of the next day._

_For a moment, I thought I had dreamt about the things I read in the journals, but after some skim reading, I realized that it wasn't possible. There were things I saw in my dream that weren't even mentioned on paper. Events I've never seen before, not even in the deepest corners of my memories._

_In the dream I saw her past, and all the people involved. There were even moments in which I felt like I was standing next to her, witnessing all that she had witnessed._

_But what made me see all of that?_

_As I continued pondering, I suddenly felt a draft lifting my silvery bangs. But when I looked up, I perceived no movements in the brown curtain in front of the only window. It was then I caught something lingering in the air. It disappeared as soon as it came, but I knew it wasn't my imagination as the scent matched the one burnt in my memory. _

_Her scent._

_Was it her presence that brushed past me a minute ago? Was she the one letting me see all that while I was asleep?_

_But it wasn't only her memories that were envisioned in my head. There were also fragments, of which I'm positive that they belonged to the assassin. Fragments I couldn't have known of by just reading his unfinished journal. Could that mean he didn't exist in the realm of the living anymore? Just like her?_

_The most bewildering thing about the dream was, not only did I see things as if I was actually there when it happened. But I was also able to feel what they were feeling and hear what was on their minds. It was as though they became a part of me. Or was it the other way around?_

_I suddenly began to cry as I finally began to understand something._

_Something that made me realize that the assassin wasn't the one to be blamed. He loved her deeply and there was nothing in the world that could belie that. _

_If only I hadn't insisted on my reckless plan to summon her back. She wouldn't have returned to the fortress. The Shichinintai's plan to assassinate her would fail and their destinies would never have intertwined that cruelly and ended up in bloodshed and tears. And the people of the West would still be living in peace instead of under the tyranny of Naraku._

_That bastard had successfully conquered what father had protected for so many centuries, but I know that he wouldn't give up until he had found my corpse as well. As the sole survivor and only remaining heir of the Western empire, I was prepared to live a fugitive existence. I would never let my life that was saved twice, fall in the hands of that foul lord. _

_Before I left, I burnt away all their journals together with the house, where all the happy memories began, and ended. Even after everything had been reduced to ashes, I could still remember what I so vividly what I saw in my dream. It was as though their memories had become a part of me from that moment on. And when I realized I couldn't forget them anymore, I knew what my destiny was. _

_The memories they had entrusted to me, I will write them down. I will let them live on forever. _

_As it is the only way I could repent for my sin._

_By writing this book, I thought maybe, just maybe, she would forgive me._

_- - -_

Bankotsu lowered the letter in disbelief.

_'If this letter speaks the truth...then...then the author...' _ He gazed down at the bottom of the last page, only to realize that the name of the addressor was missing.

Despite that, however, he already had a good idea of who had written the letter as well as the book.

Curiously, he placed the letter on the desk and focused on the book again. The moment he flipped open the front cover, he was looking at the page again where the word 'Prologue' marked the beginning of the tale.

But when his eyes fell on the left side of the open book, he realized he had skipped three pages.

Like any other book, the title was repeated on the first page in large bold characters and just like Bankotsu had expected, the name of the author was missing. He flipped to the second page, which, like usual was a completely empty one.

The third one was almost empty as well, except for some text at the center.

It was the final key to the door of truth, written in graceful italic:

_ For aneue,  
who entrusted me these precious memories._

"Inuyasha..." he whispered to himself, remembering what his friend at college told him.

_"As for the younger one... He went missing."_

_"He was nowhere to be found during the massacre and his whereabouts remained unknown ever since."_

His thoughts were cut off when he heard some soft tapping. When he looked down, he was surprised to see small dark spots on the old paper surface, growing bigger and bigger.

It took him a moment before realizing that he was crying and he wiped the wetness from his cheeks with the back of his hand as he placed the book next to the letter on his desk.

_'What's this agony I'm feeling...?' _ he thought inwardly as he clutched his chest, the spot where it hurt the most. _'This pain...' _ He began to tremble as tears began to roll down his cheeks again. The more he thought about it, the more his head began to throb.

_ 'I-I need to lie down...'_

He pushed himself up from the chair and walked towards his bed. Without second thought, he let himself fall on top of the soft blanket and closed his eyes. _ 'Sleep...' _ he commanded himself. And within seconds, he already embarked on his journey to the realm of the dreams.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**:  
Took me some time to get this posted. There's a report waiting for me to write so forgive me if I post the next chapter later than expected. Anyway, we're back at the present time again, though most of the chapter is about the hidden note Bankotsu found. I know this chapter will create some question marks, but I'll just leave it to you readers to think about the answers okay? Like they always say, there's not always an answer to all questions, right? Hope you have enjoyed reading! If so, please tell me with a review okay? Thanks! 

By the way, I've heard a rumor these days about authors not allowed to reply to reviews anymore, do any of you maybe know more of this? I read the content guidelines posted by and they forbid non-story entries. But entries mean 'chapters' and not the content of each chapter, so what's with replies to reviews (which is non-story) attached to each chapter of the story?

Before I've received a proper answer about that, I've decided that this is the last chapter where I will reply to reviews. If you would like me to reply to your review, tell me so and I will be gladly to reply your review through email :) (provided that I know what your addy is of course). I hate to do this, but look at it from a brighter perspective. Without the time spend on replying reviews, I will be able to update a bit faster and work more on each chapter :).

Lots of greets,

Kittymui

_'Italic'_: thoughts  
"...": spoken words  
-.-.-.-: time gap  
-CAPSLOCKED WORDS-: noises

-.-.-.-

**Next chapter: An unexpected visitor**

-.-

Although the title sounds obvious, it isn't what you think it is. Nobody's going to visit Bankotsu...well, not physically :). This visitor will shed some light on some unanswered questions of the present time. So look forward to the next chapter ne?

-.-

**Vocabulary:**

**aneue:** a respectful way to refer to one's older sister

-.-.-.-

**REPLIES TO REVIEWS:**

**Wake-Robin: **Very sad indeed :), somehow I'm happy to know my chapter had that kind of effect on my readers hehehe. Thanks for reviewing!

**TeenAnimeLover: **Hahaha, well I'm actually glad you chose all three, because then I know that my chapter could make my readers happy, pissed and excited :)! I can't assure that I can read your stories, but I've put you in my favorites list so that I can read whenever I have time left.

**Seiteki Hekireki Jishinkaminarikajioyaji: **Don't worry, the story isn't going to be sadder than it already is hehehe. .-.hands over a tissue.-. Thanks for reviewing!

**hakkai-my-youkai: **The story's definitely not over yet and I never abandon my stories before they're finished so...here's the next chapter you asked for :)!

**punkgoddess: **Thank you! I'm glad you loved it! I love it when my chapters were able to make readers cry hehehe.

**gurlhushere13: **That I have to agree with you :). I'm happy that you liked it! Thanks for your review!

**AnimeSiren: **Thanks! Too bad I couldn't make this chapter just as long as the previous one, I hope it's still good!

**yume-chan: **Nope, that wasn't the last chapter...well not the last chapter of this story if you know what I mean. We're just going to continue in the present time. Thanks for reviewing!

**Mis0ka:** Hahaha I hope that was meant positively :).

**fallen-anqel: **Thanks for your review! I'm glad you liked it!

**Raja crimson hunter:** I will!

**sangotaku6: **Almost...well still around 5 more chapter so be sure to look forward to them okay? Hahaha I wish I could pick up that book! Thanks for reviewing!

**Kuroe: **Wow thank you very much! Haha I'm happy to hear that my story's the first to make you cry (even though it sounds a bit sadistic haha)! Yup, Kagome is the one (though I didn't have them mention her name) who's in coma in the present time. Oops...I hope I didn't spoil anything hehehe.

**Schwarz Stein: **Thanks! I'll try to update as soon as possible, but I can't assure anything. About your request, I'll read your story in the weekend, but do you think you can show tell me about the other one so I wouldn't have to look for it by myself?

**sesshomaruobsessed: **Hahaha, if I made the Shikon no Tama save them, the story would be less interesting and more predictable right? Besides, the jewel only grants enormous power, I don't really recall that it could revive the dead :). As for your guesses...well since I don't want to spoil the fun (mine) I'll just have you wait it out and see it for yourself hehehe! .-. receives plushies happily .-. thanks!

**Dark Neko17:** Thanks!

**BelleDayNight:** Thank you very much :)! As for Sesshoumaru...well they did say he died in the present time according to history books, but who knows? Since there's a reincarnation of Sesshoumaru in the present time, I don't think he actually survived...but oh well, I'll let you readers do the thinking hahaha. And about Kagome's name ringing a bell, Bankotsu did suspect something when Kagome first introduced herself to him back at the forest. But he thought that it was impossible for a princess to be outside the protection of the fortress so he assumed it was just a coincidence that two individuals had the same name (see chapter X). Especially after hearing from the villagers that the people of the fortress become very strict when it comes to the princess' safety, he concluded (implicitly) that the Kagome he met could never be the princess. I guess that kinda explains why he scolded himself in the previous chapter for not realizing it earlier. Hope that clears up a bit.

**aNiMaAyAnGeL:** Sorry I made you cry (though I'm happy to know it could have that kind of effect on readers haha)! Thanks for reviewing! I'm glad you liked it!

**Inukamisashi: **Really? Well actually, I haven't read such a fic either. But it's only in the past (history) that they died, do you think that also counts as dying?

**Dark Nadeshiko: **Just wait and see :)! You'll find out soon enough!

**eyeliner0tears:** Hahaha, it would be sad if Bankotsu of the present time only had the role of reading a tale from the past :). Well, since Kagome's one of the main characters...who knows eh? Just wait and see it for yourself :).

**Ele Goddess of Elements: **Hahaha, I'm not that cruel to stop there just like that, as I hate to read such stories as well :). But I'm glad you like it so far! Thanks for reviewing! If you remember the first chapter, one of Bankotsu's friends did mention Sesshoumaru's name and explained that he's the brother of a comatose student of the same college. As for that student being Kagome...I've decided not to spoil the fun and let you wait and see it for yourself :). I didn't give the jewel any special effects or meaning besides a simple birthday present because it would ruin my story (and the entire history haha). Plus I don't recall the jewel having reviving powers...so I'm better off without it haha.

**doragon no mizu: **It took me two weeks actually, despite the fact I told myself to update every 10 days...sigh... But I'm glad you didn't mind that! Thanks! As for the ending...I'm not going to spoil anything for you :)!

**SesshomarusGirl15: **Hehehe sorry about that, I'm glad you're still reviewing despite the sad chapter :)! Thanks! Unless I'm being occupied with piles of homework, I usually update every 10 days...unfortunately, time wasn't cooperating with me these days. Nor were my muses...-. glares at them .-.

**Angel of Darkness and Death: **I'm glad you loved it although it's so sad! Thanks for reviewing!

Duzzie: Thank you! As for your questions...I guess I'll leave it to your imagination :) some questions/mysteries are better left unsolved, don't you agree?

**Kage Youkai:** Thanks! We'll find out soon enough who the comatose student is :).

**Kc:** Thank you! I'll try to update asap.

**thunder sister: **Woah! .-. runs towards 'thunder sister' and kneels down .-. are you okay? You're going to miss out the rest of the story if you don't wake up :).

**SusArackAhack: **Thank you! I was afraid that the numerous events would be taking place too quickly and spoiling the chapter, but luckily it didn't :). To be honest with you, I can't wait for the conclusion of this story as well :).

**Skitzoflame: **Thanks! I guess this chapter answered your question :). As for the question whether Bankotsu had saved his companions, I'll leave it to your imagination to come up with an answer hehehe.

**lady-joker: **I'm glad you liked it!

**The-Freak32: **There will be about 5 more chapter if I'm not mistaking :)! Don't know if that's 'many more' in your terms. Thanks for reviewing!

**Unonome: **Thanks for the delicious cookie and for your review! Be sure to look forward to the next chapter too ne?

**Dark Tears: **Thank you! I will keep updating until the very end, don't worry!

**sesshoulover:** Thank you very much :)! I'm so happy to hear that!

**tidusXyuna637: **And another wonderful review again! Thanks a lot! Too bad this chapter isn't as long as the previous huh? I've never actually reached 9000 words before for one chapter, I myself was surprised too hahaha.

**Shortie630:** Thanks! Hope you liked this chapter too!

**alexamae3:** It's not the ending! Well, not of the story...but of the tale that Bankotsu's reading. I hope you aren't confused by the story's plot. If you are, don't hesitate to ask okay? I promise it wouldn't get any sadder than the previous chapter!

**InuYashaLover12:** I'm glad you loved it!

**kakashisninjadogs: **I'm happy to know you're happy as well! Thanks for reviewing!

**DarkJobo:** Hmm I hope you still managed to do your homework :). I'm sorry for the late update.

**Youka-Chan:** Well, as you can see, it's still continuing in the present time :). Thanks for reviewing!

**waining-moon:** Well, I can't really do anything with a review merely telling me it was bad.

**Shani Elthman: **Thanks! I'm glad you like it so far!

Posted: 11 October 2005  
Last Edited: 11 October 2005  
Spelling check: YES

**DISCLAIMER: **I do not own Inuyasha or any characters of it. And I do not own whatever elements of this story that seem familiar and had already been used by other creative individuals before. But... I do own the idea of mixing all of these elements together into a new story!


	28. An unexpected visitor

**A TALE FROM THE PAST**

-by Kittymui-

**An unexpected visitor**

: DREAM SEQUENCE :

The same screaming and wailing erupted from different directions. Bankotsu held in his breath as the scene, which he had seen for so many times, unfolded before his eyes. However, when he carefully studied his environment, he noticed something different. Instead of the gathering room, where he would be surrounded by turned tables, he found himself standing outside in a garden. A mass of villagers was jammed at the gates to his right while a blazing building stood to his left.

"Prepare yourself demon!" a distant voice cried.

When Bankotsu turned to the voice, he was stunned to see three characters engaging in battle. His eyes first fell on the one whose long silvery locks billowed in the air as he parried an incoming attack. Aside from the fact that he had clawed hands and a furry tail, it was his great resemblance to the tall graduate student he bumped into on campus that had caught his attention. "Sesshoumaru...?" he whispered to himself as he shifted to look at the two opponents of the demon. "Suikotsu...and Mukotsu too?"

As if seeing their names in the book wasn't already confusing enough, the two assassins even shared the looks of his friends at college. What were they doing in his dream? Was this just one of the many coincidences as well?

Just when he thought he saw a hint of pain on Sesshoumaru's face, which was probably caused by the bleeding wound on his chest, another individual appeared from within the mansion to their left. Bankotsu widened his eyes when he saw him lunge at the dog demon. "No Jakotsu! Stop!" he cried, recognizing his roommate. "Sesshoumaru watch out!"

As if the demon heard his warning, he turned to the sneaky assassin and deflected his snaky sword with his poisonous whip.

_'They can't hear me?' _Bankotsu thought puzzled as the battle of three against one continued without even one of them paying him any attention. He looked down at himself and raised his brows in surprise when he realized he was wearing a plain white t-shirt and a pair of brown shorts. They were the clothes he wore before going to bed. _'What the...why am I wearing my normal clothes this time?'_ he wondered in shock.

Before he could recover from the first wave of question marks, another realization struck him. _'B-but if I'm here...then...'_ Without finishing his thoughts, he quickly made his way towards the mansion.

But when as he reached the entrance, he halted his step and instinctively covered his nose and mouth at the sight of the thick black smog that drifted out of the opening. His brows rose when he found himself unaffected and he gazed at the mist. _'I'm not wearing any feudal clothes...does that mean I'm not part of this dream anymore...?'_ he mused as he slowly lowered his hand from his face. _'Then...these shouldn't be able to affect me at all...'_

Convinced by his inner thoughts, he ran determinedly into the fuming building. He smirked inwardly when he found that neither flames nor smoke could touch him as he crossed a blazing room. But after running down several corridors and ending up at the same spot again, he painfully realized he was still vulnerable to the smoke's blinding thickness. _'Damn it...where am I?'_ he grumbled inwardly.

Suddenly, a faint cry echoed through the crackling fire.

"NO-O-O-O-O!"

Realizing whose voice it was, he disregarded his disoriented sense of direction and began to run to where it came from.

Because of the smoke screen, he failed to see someone coming from the opposite direction until it was already too late to avoid collision. "Woah!" he cried and moved his arms before him protectively. His heart skipped a beat when the person simple walked through him as if he didn't exist at all. _'What the hell!'_ he thought aghast.

It wasn't until the person disappeared into the mist again that he realized who just walked past...uh through him and he quickly turned around to go after him.

Fortunately it was just a dream or he would've definitely doubted his sanity. It felt like he was looking at his twin, who seemed a bit spaced out at that moment. He watched himself, armored and armed, kneel down to some bodies on the floor and then remembered something. _'If the assassin's here...then...'_ He darted his eyes around until he met a pair of gold. There he was, hidden behind a corner and looking at the assassin from a distance. Hatred was all over his young features.

Bankotsu's face dropped in empathy when he found sorrow behind the mask of anger. "Inuyasha..." He made an attempt to go to the hanyou, but when he couldn't seem to move forward, he looked down at his feet, which, to his surprise, wasn't even touching the floor anymore. As he mused in himself whether he was the one moving or everything else except him, his body rose above the partitioning screens. The moving stopped when his body reached above the mansion and strangely enough, he was still able to look through the roof at what was happening inside the mansion; as if he was standing on a transparent glass ceiling.

Below his feet, he could see Inuyasha slumped against the floor near the feet of his previous incarnation, unconscious. He watched how he gathered the young hanyou in his arms and started walking towards the exit of the blazing building. Just when he thought it was over, his attention was drawn by something else.

It was the room where the princess of the West was. She was lying outstretched on her back; still and unmoved by everything that is happening around her. If it hadn't been for her kimono, which had now become completely red of her blood, he would surely have thought she was just soundly asleep. When he caught a movement in the peripheral area of his eyes, he realized she wasn't alone. Someone else was with her. He looked worn-out. His armor was smothered in bloodstains and the garment he wore underneath it was torn at numerous places. The battle against the three members of the Shichinintai must have been tough, he thought as he looked at the trail of dry blood running from the corner of his lips to his chin.

Bankotsu watched how he knelt down weakly beside the body of his sister and gathered her in his arms. At the same time the roof had begun to rumble loudly, as if warning the people below that it was about to collapse soon. His eyes darted around the floor plan below him and to his relief; there was no sign of the assassin and hanyou. But when he shifted back to the dog demon, he couldn't believe his eyes.

There were tears crossing the parallel stripes on both his cheeks. The cold and stoic face that would seldom reveal any emotions, was crying and showing the deepest grief he had ever seen. But what shocked him the most was that the demon seemed to have no intention of leaving. Even when the walls and supports surrendered to the destructive flames and collapsed to the floor around him, he remained impassive, hugging the lifeless body of his beloved sister. Until the roof finally crumbled down and buried them under the heavy debris, he was still holding her close to him.

Bankotsu swallowed a threat of tears as he watched the last pieces of the fortress cascade to the ground and slightly averted his gaze. _'The oldest heir of the demon lord didn't die in battle...'_ he concluded inwardly. _'He chose to die with his sister...'_ A moment of silence arose as he mentally mourned for those who died that day. Until a voice suddenly caught him off guard.

"It's silly...isn't it?"

He jumped up of shock and turned around. "Who-" he gasped, but his voice got stuck in his throat when he found himself gazing at a young girl. "Y-you're..." he stammered, desperately trying to remember where he had seen her before. The girl before him smiled as she turned to look at the burning fortress. "He should have left me and save himself while he could."

Bankotsu gave her a puzzled look. _'He...?'_ He narrowed his eyes as he studied her features. She had long raven hair reaching below her shoulders and wore a simple white robe that added up to the simple beauty emitting from her rosy cheeks and chestnut eyes. Although it was just a plain garment, he was convinced that practically everything would look good on her.

"You're taking about Sesshoumaru, aren't you?" he finally asked. "You're...Kagome, aren't you?" As he spoke out the name, he wondered where he had heard it before. It wasn't only from the book that he knew this name. His thoughts were cut off when she answered rather flatly. "Yes, I'm the one you saw earlier, dying in the arms of your previous incarnation."

He raised both brows. "But how? Until now, I've kept seeing the same scene in my dreams over and over again. I understand that it has got something to do with my previous life. But how is it possible for you to appear before me and talk to me?" he asked confused. "I'm not making you up...am I?"

"You're not," she told him plainly. "As for your first question, I can only say that I don't belong to your subconscious world."

This puzzled Bankotsu even more. And he knew it must've been all over his face as the girl began to explain before he even had to ask for it.

"After we die, our spirits will automatically be guided to the gates of reincarnation, where we will depart for our next life. However, before we are allowed to enter, we are obliged to drink the broth brewed by the blind old woman who lives in front of the gates. The broth will make us forget everything of our forfeited lives." Her eyes hardened as she continued. "But somehow, when both you and I drank it, the broth wasn't strong enough to erase all of our memories." She stopped for a moment and eventually shook her head. "No, that's not it. It's more like...something among our memories had refused to be erased," she corrected and turned to Bankotsu. "The scene you saw earlier is unmistakably a fragment of the past, clinging onto your current life. The one you said you kept dreaming about is probably a memory fragment as well."

For a moment, Bankotsu stood silently staring at the girl. Although her story sounded a bit far-fetched, he still wanted to believe it. The way it fitted perfectly into the whole picture made it difficult for him to be skeptical about it. Especially after reading the book and the letter. "How about you?" he asked. "You said you didn't belong to my dream. Does that mean fragments of the past is clinging to your current life as well?"

She shook her head. "Not exactly true. I am, or rather my appearance, is what you would call the fragment of the past that's clinging to the present. Moreover, unlike your situation, I have only recently awoken."

Bankotsu frowned in puzzlement. "What do you mean 'recently'?"

"I mean that I have only come to realize my existence when my reincarnation fell into a coma last year," she explained.

"Last year?" He looked at her with wide eyes. "How come you've never appeared in my dreams until now?"

The girl dropped her face a little. "Unfortunately, as I was just a fragment, I held no knowledge to why I even existed in this era. Hence I had been wandering around purposelessly all this time. But then yesterday, I suddenly felt drawn to something. It was like a voice, calling out to me. I followed the voice, and before I knew it, I had already entered your dream world." A slight pause ensued as her eyes trailed to where they had last seen the remnants of the fortress. "When I watched the fortress burn down to the ground, I had finally come to realize who I w-..." A grim smile formed on her lips as she corrected herself. "...used to be... "

Bankotsu didn't know what to say when he saw her somber expression. But that was until something struck him as he thought about what she said earlier. "Wait a minute...your reincarnation fell into a coma during mid-autumn last year?"

"Yes...on her twentieth birthday, the same day I died," she told him.

Bankotsu thought for a moment. _'Why does this sound so familiar?'_ he pondered and turned to her. "By any chance, do you remember your reincarnation's full name?"

"Well yes...I heard the nurses mention that before I wandered out of the hospital," the girl replied as she took a moment to refresh her memories. "I was quite surprised when I realized my reincarnation was named Kagome as well. As for her last name, if I remember correctly, it was Asa...hara...yes...Kagome Asahara."

_'Asahara...'_ he repeated to himself. _'Where have I heard that bef-'_ He widened his eyes. _'Asahara? T-that's Sesshoumaru's last name too!'_

He stole a glance at the girl before him as he recalled his Suikotsu's words yesterday at college.

_"That's Sesshoumaru Asahara, he's from the last year..."_

_"...he's quite well-known, because of his short temper and cold character..."_

_"...he wasn't like this several years ago...his personality suddenly changed because of his beloved sister."_

_"She fell into some strange coma on her 20th birthday and hasn't woken up again..."_

_"...since last year autumn..."_

Bankotsu held a hand before his mouth. _'I remember now! Kagome Asahara...she's in the same history class as me!'_ He quickly turned to look at her. "If what you said is true...then Sesshoumaru is your brother in this life as well!"

The girl looked surprised to hear this. "Sesshoumaru...onii-sama is...?" she gasped wide-eyed.

"It's probably because he didn't let you go before he died," he added after some thinking. "His choice to die with you must have created a strong link between you two, which was kept in existence even after you both reincarnated."

The expression on her face as she heard this showed that she regretted her remark earlier, but not entirely. "If the link never existed, he would've been free of all the worries he's suffering right now. Because of that link, he had wasted tons of money on useless diagnoses to find out what was wrong with his beloved sister. He's frustrated because even the best doctors in the world couldn't give him an answer to the mystery revolving around her sudden coma on her twentieth birthday," she lamented.

Bankotsu felt a heavy lump in his throat when he caught a slight tremor in her soft voice. Almost instantly, he scolded himself inwardly for acting smart and thought of something to remove the remorse on her mind. "Did she fell into a coma because you awoke or was it the other way around?" he quickly asked. Fortunately, the question seemed to have drawn her attention and he praised himself for his fast thinking.

"She fell into a coma because of a link of the past clinging to the present. This link is what stopped her life temporarily on the day I died. Part of her soul, remembered something that needs to be fulfilled."

"An unfinished business," he helped her.

"Precisely," she nodded. "The link will only shatter when that business is finished, until then, my reincarnation will stay unconscious."

Bankotsu cocked an eyebrow. "That business? You mean you don't know yourself?" He was stupefied when she nodded again.

She averted her gaze in guilt. "As I said, I am but a fragment of Kagome's memories," she said. "If I knew, I wouldn't have wandered in this era until now. But something did draw me to you, so I'm positive that you're the key to solve the mystery."

"Wait..." he interrupted her with a raised hand. "You want _me_ to help you?"

"I know you can do it. I can feel it, deep down inside, you're the only one who can," she told him.

Bankotsu widened his eyes in disbelief.

"I know I'm probably asking too much of you. By no means, I am forcing you to help me," she said sadly. "But please..."

He was shocked when she began to fall to her knees and quickly stepped forward to catch her.

"I beg of you..." she cried in his chest. "Bankotsu..."

Although it was his name, he knew by the tone of her voice that it wasn't he whom she was calling to. But even so, his arms still responded to it and they instinctively wrapped around her body.

"It is already enough. I don't want them to suffer any more for what we've done wrong in the past."

_'She's crying...'_ Bankotsu thought. Normally, he wouldn't mind girls crying in front of him. Crying was something that would always make them feel better in some way. But somehow, he didn't want the girl in his arms to cry. Not her. _'Is it because part of my soul belongs to the man who loved her in the past?'_ he mused. Nevertheless, it felt really awkward to be holding someone you knew you loved in the past. As he thought that, he slightly pulled away from her and created some distance. "I-I'm sorry...I just..." he stammered.

"N-no it's okay..." She dried her tears with the back of her hands.

"I really want to help you, but it's all happening too fast...the book...the letter...and you. I just don't know where to begin with comprehending..." he explained with a hard face.

"I'm sorry," she apologized, looking at him with reddened eyes. "I wish I could tell you more."

"Don't apologize. It's not your fault." An awkward silence fell between the two as they both started at the dark floor.

"Tell you what," he suddenly began, which made the girl look up at him again. "I think I'll check the book one more time. I might find some useful clues in it about what caused the link to the past to exist."

Her chestnut eyes filled with hope as they gazed into his. "You're going to help me?"

Bankotsu flushed at her intense stare. "Y-yeah... You said I was the only one who can do it right? I'm not that heartless to let you wander meaninglessly in this world while I can do something about it."

To his surprise, the girl launched herself at him again. This time with a wide smile on her face. "I'm so happy," she said as she placed her head against his chest.

"Happy that you don't have to wander around anymore?" he guessed as he looked down at her raven head.

"Not only that," she told him. "When I realized that part of his soul had transcended time as well, I knew he must have regretted what he had done very much. And that's because...I meant a lot for him...right?"

"Yeah..." Bankotsu agreed somewhat awkwardly. After seeing the same dying scene over and over again, why wouldn't he agree?

Another silence.

It was broken when a bright light began to shine upon them.

"W-what's happening?" he asked as he narrowed his eyes. The girl pulled away from him. "You're going to wake up soon," she told him calmly and looked up at the light. She didn't seem to be affected as much as he did. "I guess this is goodbye."

Bankotsu widened his eyes. "Will I see you again? I still have something to ask you," he said hastily to the girl who was beginning to disappear into the white light.

"The fact that I'm disappearing now must mean that my task here is done," she said with a small smile.

"Your task?" Bankotsu raised his brows. "But I thought you belonged to Kagome's soul. Shouldn't you return to her?"

She shook her head and smiled. "At first I had no idea why I coexisted with my reincarnated soul. After meeting you and talking to you, I finally understood," she told him. "I survived the blind old woman's broth because someone needed to tell you about your unbroken link to the past. The fact that I was drawn to you must mean that your link is related to that of my reincarnation's. That is why I believe you're the only one who can break them."

"Wha...? Wait-" It was all a bit too fast for Bankotsu, but he wasn't given a chance to finish as the girl spoke her last words.

"I will go back now...I will be waiting for you...Bankotsu..."

_'Waiting for me?'_ Bankotsu thought confused. "Wait! What do you mean by that?" he cried, but he realized that nobody was there to respond.

Not long after that, the light that beamed from above consumed everything around him in a flash. "Ah!" he winced aloud at its penetrating brightness and shielded his eyes with both arms.

: END DREAM SEQUENCE :

"Waiiit!" he cried as he bolted up from his bed. As soon as he opened his eyes, he was caught off guard by the brightness of his room. An instant headache forced him to shut his eyes again. After all the stars disappeared from his vision, he reopened them again and turned to look at his bedside clock.

_'1.00 PM...'_ he read the time inwardly as he ran a hand over his face. To his surprise, his hand was dry when he lowered it. When was the last time he hadn't woken up all sweaty? He couldn't even remember anymore.

_'What was that dream...?'_ he mused as he tried to remember. It was unmistakably the same scene that he saw in his previous dreams. But this time, it was all happening from a third person's perspective...his, and not through that of the assassin. And unlike other times, the dream didn't stop when the assassin killed the princess; it actually continued until the entire fortress was leveled. _'And the girl...the princess...who suddenly appeared behind me...' _ Though her image was a bit vague, he could still recall clearly what she had told him.

She was a fragment of what was left of her previous life's memories and her reincarnation fell in a coma because of an unbroken link to the past. The link was some sort of unfinished business and it was somehow related to him. It all sounded very logical and he had no reason to doubt her, but he was still confused about what she said before disappearing into the bright light.

_"I will go back now...I will be waiting for you...Bankotsu..."_

_'What did she mean by that?'_ he pondered frustrated. Just when he wanted to think about it more thoroughly, a yawn terminated his intentions and his stomach reminded him how grumpy it could be when ignored for too long.

_'I better go wash myself first...' _he decided as he got out of bed and made his way to the bathroom.

.-.-.

Half an hour later, he plunged into his chair again, fully dressed in a light blue polo shirt and a white pair of trousers. His long black hair tied neatly into a thin braid and partly draped over one shoulder.

_'What to do now...?'_ he thought to himself as he gazed at the book and letter resting on his mahogany desk. _'Even thought I had told her that I would help her...but how am I going to do that?'_ He propped his head on his hand. _'I guess I can't rely on her anymore since she's already gone back to where she belongs.'_

Much to his irritation, an impatient grumbling coming from his abdomen interrupted his thoughts again. He let out a huffed in defeat as he stood up. _'I guess I can't think on an empty stomach...'_ he gave in as he slid the letter back into the cover. After putting the book into his brown rucksack together with some writing tools, he grabbed his wallet from his bedside cabinet and left.

.-. later .-.

After a quick lunch at a nearby snack bar, Bankotsu entered the streets again with his rucksack over one shoulder.

Since it was already holiday, the streets had become more crowded than usual. The sidewalks were now occupied by children, playing tag with friends or just happily taking a hand-in-hand with their parents. Besides them, there were also those who took the opportunity to let their newborns enjoy the nice weather in strollers. Summer was indeed one of the happiest seasons of the year.

As he adjusted his rucksack with one hand, he took out his cell phone from his pocket with the other and started clicking through several menus on the small colorful screen. _'...Home...Jakotsu...Renkotsu...'_ He scanned through his digital phonebook until he found the name he was looking for and quickly tapped the dial button.

After he made sure the line wasn't busy, he placed the silver-colored device against his ear.

BEEEEP...

_'Come on, pick up the phone...I know you're there...'_

BEEEEP...

"Hello?"

_'Yes!' _"Hey Suikotsu, it's me, Bankotsu," he spoke into his cell phone.

"Yo Bankotsu! What's up? No wait, let me guess...you suddenly realized how lonely you are after Jakotsu left and decided that you will join us on our trip to Europe after all?"

"Uh no..." he responded dully.

"Aww...now I'm hurt!" his friend wailed through the receiver.

He let out an annoyed sigh. "Look, I'm sorry I hurt your feelings okay? I really have something important to ask you."

"Woah! Easy man! I was just joking!" Suikotsu said somewhat taken aback. Apparently, he sounded angrier than he thought. "Something important eh? What is this about?"

"Remember when I bumped onto a tall student yesterday on campus and Renkotsu got all fired up because of his cool attitude?"

"You mean Sesshoumaru Asahara? Yeah, I remember that."

"Back then, you mentioned that it was because of his comatose sister, who turned out to be one our classmates right?"

"That's right."

Bankotsu hesitated before asking the next question. "Is his sister named Kagome?"

He had to create some distance between him and his phone when his friend responded rather enthusiastically.

"Yes that's it! Kagome Asahara! It was on the tip of my tongue yesterday! How could I have forgotten! Silly me," he laughed, but suddenly went silent. "Wait a minute, how did you find out about that?"

"That's not important right now," said Bankotsu. "What I wanted to ask is whether you know where she is right now."

"Uh...in a hospital?"

He rolled his eyes. "Yes, I assumed as much, but which one?"

There was a short moment of silence before a reply was given. "I remember some friends of hers mentioning that she was staying in the hospital on the campus."

"When was what?"

"Begin this year, around spring I think, but it doesn't really matter actually. I'm pretty sure she's still there."

He raised a brow. "How can you be so sure of that?"

"Well, her family owns the place. And since they refuse to entrust her to any other hospital, what do you think would be the best place to keep her?"

"They own the hospital on campus?" Bankotsu repeated wide-eyed. _'But of course...I've heard the name of the hospital before...it was...'_

"Yes, the AMC, shorts for Asahara Medical Centre," his friend said. "Everybody knows that."

"How do I get there?" he asked, ignoring the last remark.

"Why do you want to know? You're not thinking of paying her a visit, are you?"

Bankotsu didn't reply to this. Not because he didn't want to, he just didn't know how. There were still too many questions in his head at the moment. Though the answers were quite obvious, he just couldn't accept anything before he had eliminated all possible uncertainties. But he was very close now. One more and he'll be able to believe everything the girl told him.

"Okay, now you're scaring me." His friend's voice interrupted his thoughts. "You're really serious about this, aren't you?"

"...yes," he finally replied.

"It can't be helped then...the AMC will be right in front of your nose if you take the usual bus to the campus and get off at the second to last bus stop," Suikotsu explained. "Don't ask me about which room she's in, because I don't know. You'll have to find out yourself when you get there."

With his phone sandwiched between his head and shoulder, Bankotsu quickly took out his notebook and a pencil from his rucksack and noted down some reminders. "It'll do, thanks!" he said as he put away the paper and pencil.

"Oh you're welcome...and uh...good luck."

He frowned. "You sound like I'm about to enter a dangerous man-eating monster's territory. Despite the fact that it's a hospital where I'm heading."

"You are," his friend said seriously. "Well, I don't know about that man-eating stuff but that Sesshoumaru is definitely _not_ going to welcome you with a friendly handshake if you know what I mean. But as long as you don't meet him face to face, it'll be okay I guess."

Bankotsu couldn't help but smirk at this. "Well you know me, the higher the risk, the greater the challenge and the more I will like it."

"Whatever you do, just don't provoke the guy okay?" His voice seemed rather desperate. "Why are you even doing this?"

"To be honest with you, I'm not quite sure myself why I'm doing this as well, but I will explain everything as soon as I've solved this, I promise. I just hope you would believe me when that time comes."

"Of course I will! In my opinion, history and mystery goes hand in hand, so I'll welcome whatever it is you're going to tell me," his friend said proudly. His voice turned serious as he continued. "Just don't do anything stupid okay? Call me if you need any help. Even when I'll be at the other side of the globe, I'll be flying back in an instant if you're in a pinch."

"Sure," Bankotsu smiled, knowing that his friend wasn't lying. Coming from a family with moderate income, he always thought people with wealthy backgrounds were snobby and selfish, but Suikotsu's existence proved him otherwise. He was rich, but he had none of those horrible traits. He remember asking him once why he chose to study here while he could easily have chosen to study abroad or at a more upscale university. It was not long after he transferred here. Back then, he didn't consider himself as Suikotsu's friend yet and still, his answer and expression on his face as he replied were burnt deeply into his memories. Probably because of the great impact his words had on him.

_"Being a rich kid doesn't mean I have to act like one, right?" he said with a genuine smile on his face. "Besides, if I had gone somewhere else to study, I would have missed out a great friend like you."_

His smile grew wider as he replayed his words in his mind. He had never been good at making friends with his social skills when he was still studying at his previous college. Most of his so-called friends freaked out and stayed away from him as soon as he told them about his strange dream. Perhaps that was what caused him to never mention it again in front of others, especially those who claim to be his friends. As for his roommate, he had never planned to tell him either. But after sharing the same room for a couple of months, he knew he owed him an explanation for crying out in the middle of the night with sweat all over his face. Much to his surprise and relief, Jakotsu didn't freak out after hearing his story. Despite that however, he was still convinced that his other friends wouldn't respond in the same way, so he didn't tell them. But after hearing Suikotsu's words through the phone, he knew he had judged him wrongly and he was somehow glad about it.

His thoughts were cut off when he heard his friend's voice again.

"Is that everything you wanted to know?"

"Y-yeah, thanks again," he said, snapping back to reality. "One more question though. How do you know all this? About our classmate staying in which hospital and so on."

"Geez Jakotsu was right, the summer heat did fry your brain. No wonder he told me to keep an eye on you. Did you forget already? My sister works at the AMC, I told you before didn't I?"

Something clicked inside Bankotsu's head. "Ohhh! I remember now! Your sister...Sango right?"

"Gosh, I don' recall having another sister. One's already enough."

Bankotsu failed to suppress a chuckle. "You two really don't get along, do you?"

"We would, if she would just stop treating me like a baby. I mean come on! I'm turning twenty-six soon!"

"In her eyes, you'll always be her little baby brother I guess. Be happy that you're an only child like me. At last you still have a sibling to quarrel with."

A snort sounded through the phone. "Believe me, with a sibling like her, you'd rather be an only child. Sometimes I can't help wondering if I owed her the pleasure of making my life miserable. You know, like I did something horrible to her in my previous life and now she's been given the chance to pay me back by reincarnating as my sister?"

Bankotsu became silent for a minute and smirked. "Yeah, maybe you're right. If you have committed a sin in your previous life, you will have to atone for it in the next." He was skeptical when he read about it in a book on Karma, but now he had to believe it. Because if his memory wasn't failing him, Sango was the name of the demon killer and guardian of the princess. She was killed during the assault on the fortress launched by the Shichinintai. And coincidence or not, the assassin who ended her life...was Suikotsu. He grinned amused. "I guess you should be relieved that she didn't come back as your girlfriend instead."

"Ha ha, very funny." His friend's response was a mix of sarcasm and irritation.

"No I'm serious," he said innocently. "I mean, being your sister, she has to at least hold back in some way. Imagine what would happen if she was not blood-related..."

"Ok ok I get the drill," Suikotsu interrupted him quickly. "Say, didn't you have something more important to do? Like...rescuing a sleeping beauty from the high tower, guarded by her evil brother? You know...the kiss and wake up thing?"

"Bite me Suikotsu." He scowled while a reddish tint colored his cheeks.

His friend's laughter that followed gradually became a background sound as he suddenly realized something frightful. Cause and effect, such is the Law of Karma. He who sows evil, reaps evil. It might be an immediate result following the act, or a delayed one occurring either in the present life or the next. So he, who had taken the life of the one he loved 500 years ago, will have to repent as well. Perhaps with his life? _'Was that why she said she would be waiting for me...?'_ he mused. The thought sent shivers down his spine.

"Hey Bankotsu, don't be angry. I was just kidding!" Suikotsu's apologetic voice sounded through the phone.

Bankotsu blinked for a moment. "Huh? Oh don't worry, I'm not angry," he said, snapping out of it. "Anyway, I have a bus to catch, I'll talk to you later okay?"

"Oh...okay. Take care of yourself, okay? Later!"

"I will. Bye-bye."

He slid his cell phone into his pocket and started walking into a familiar direction; the one he always took when going to school.

.-. later .-.

He let out a heavy sigh as he watched the bus leave. As he pushed back his short bangs and wiped the sweat from his forehead, he grunted inwardly why not all buses had air-conditioning installed in them.

But his heat induced frustration subsided rather quickly when his eyes fell on the snowy white building in front of him. Although a large parking lot separated him from the entrance, he still had to crane his head to read the name that stood on its roof.

ASAHARA MEDICAL CENTER

He formed a silent 'wow' with his lips as he started crossing the swarm of cars. The crowdedness told him that it should be around visiting hours at the moment and he quickened his pace.

After passing two pairs of glass doors, he found himself standing in a large hall. From there, he could practically see the balconies of each floor as he looked up. On the ground floor, there were ring-shaped benches encircling nice small pieces of nature, forming small islands. They were all built around the square reception desk that stood at the center. His attention drifted to the large floor plan that stood like a monument next to him. Following the outer edges of the building, he realized that it resembled the letter 'H' from above. _' Makes sense...' _ he though to himself as he turned away from it again.

After slipping past several wheelchairs and visitors, he finally reached the reception desk.

The attention of the woman who stood behind it was obviously captivated by the document she was holding, as she didn't seem to have noticed him. She had brown hair tied into a knot behind her head and some curly locks framed her long face. Her white uniform made her look like she was in her thirties, but Bankotsu had a feeling she was older than that.

"Uhm...excuse me?"

Her eyes darted up from the document and met his. "Yes?" Her eyes were brown with a yellowish tint, like a hazelnut.

_'There's no turning back now...'_ he thought nervously. He knew he should have at least practiced before coming here. "I'm looking for a certain patient. I know she's staying in this hospital but I've forgotten which room she's in."

"Oh that's easy," she smiled friendly with her rosy lips. "If you can tell me the patient's name, I can check it up for you."

"Her name's Asahara," he replied as calm as possible. "Asahara Kagome."

The smile on her face immediately dropped and her eyes narrowed cautiously as they studied him. "What might mister...eh..."

"Yukimori," he introduced himself. "Yukimori Bankotsu."

"Right...what might mister Yukimori's business be with miss Asahara?" she inquired.

The formal reference by the receptionist made Bankotsu even more nervous. _'Here goes nothing.'_ he gulped as he bit his lower lip on purpose. "Please don't tell anyone, but I'm actually her boyfriend. My friends told me not to come, but I insisted. I just want to see her again." Adrenaline rushed through his brain as he saw a change of expression on her face. "But I've never heard miss Asahara mentioning she had a boyfriend," she said, slightly puzzled.

_'Gotcha!'_ he grinned inwardly. "Her brother would kill us if he knew, that's why she and I decided to keep it a secret," he told her. "Ever since she fell into that strange coma, I haven't been able to sleep at night. I keep worrying about her. Could you please...I beg of you...please let me see her?"

"Dear sir, I know how you must be feeling right now, but she's in really good hands here. Mister Asahara cares for her a lot, so he wouldn't let anything happen to her," she said reassuringly. "I think you better go before he comes back. If he sees you here, he'll be furious. Don't worry, your secret's safe with me."

_'Damn, she's good...'_ Bankotsu scowled inwardly. "You don't understand...eh..." he glanced at the name tag on her white uniform and back to her. "Miss Satsuki, if I don't see her now, I might never be able to do that again," he said with a desperate voice. "My family is going to leave for Europe tomorrow, so I don't have much time left. This might be my last chance to see her."

"Oh dear, that's so sad..." the woman gasped as her eyes began to fill with tears.

"Shhh!" he shushed her softly when she began to sob. But it was already too late when a new voice butted in their conversation.

"Satsuki? What's happening here? Why are you crying?"

Bankotsu didn't know whether he should be glad or not that it was a woman's voice and slowly turned around.

It turned out to be a nurse who looked not much older than he. Unlike the receptionist, she was wearing light blue instead of white and her long dark hair was tied into a high ponytail instead of a knot. "Who is this?" she asked while glancing at him.

"This is mister Yukimori, he said he wanted to see our miss," she replied through her sniffing, completely forgetting about her promise to Bankotsu. "He said it was his last chance to see her, it's really sad...and I really want to allow that...but..."

"Is that so?" The nurse turned to face him.

Bankotsu responded with a friendly nod, though he would rather sink into the marble floor of embarrassment right now. What in the world had he gotten himself into? He gulped when the nurse turned back to the receptionist. "Stop crying Satsuki, I will take it from here on," he heard her say before he met her hazel eyes again. "Come with me mister."

_'Oh boy...'_ He obediently followed the nurse in to one of the four hallways that were connected to the reception hall. To his surprise, they stopped in front of an elevator instead of the white door behind them with the word 'Security' printed on it. But Bankotsu knew better and waited until they entered the cabin before asking questions. "Uh miss...? Pardon me, but where are you taking me?" he asked when the steel doors closed and the elevator began to rise.

"Hm? I thought you wanted to see our miss," she responded with sarcasm in her voice. "After all, it is your last chance...right?"

Bankotsu gave her a wary look. "Y-you don't believe me...do you?"

"No, I don't," she said without turning to him. She seemed to be more interested in the floor buttons instead.

He shifted the strap of his rucksack uncomfortably. "But then why?"

"Don't be so nervous Bankotsu, it's not like I'm going to eat you," the woman giggled as she finally turned to him. There was a strange kind of amusement on her face as she looked at him. The way she grinned was very familiar but Bankotsu couldn't pinpoint exactly where he had seen it before. Out of curiosity, he stole a glance at the nametag that was attached to the chest of her uniform. _'Sango...'_ he read the first name and widened his eyes. _'What the...?'_

An extremely amusing look must have registered on his face at that moment, as the nurse burst out in laughter. "Stop looking so difficult," she laughed. "Yes, I am Suikotsu's sister, Sango. He called me a while ago telling me that you were coming to visit Kagome."

The informality didn't go unnoticed and Bankotsu's face showed an even more confused expression. "Kagome?"

The nurse wiped the happy tears from her eyes. "Yeah well, I'm not supposed to call her by her name, but she hates formal titles," she explained. "I've known her for a while now. We've become friends ever since I started working here. She's a very kind and cheerful girl. She sometimes visits me after class and I would always look forward to it. No matter how tiring or cumbersome my day had been, her smile always made my worries go away." Her expression became grim as she continued. "But that was until she suddenly fell into a coma and became one of my patients. Now I get to see her everyday...but not in the way I had hoped for."

"I know you're not a doctor," she said after a pause. "But somehow I can sense that you know more about her sudden...illness...I mean, that's why you're here...right?"

"I don't really know, I'm sorry. I'm here to confirm something, that's all," he replied with empathy in his voice.

"I see..." She turned away as a small bell chimed to announce their arrival. "We're here."

Bankotsu silently followed her as they walked down a long corridor and stopped in front of a white pair of doors. He watched the nurse take in a deep breath before she pushed them open as silent as possible.

They entered a large room with several doors to their left and an array of windows to their right. Remembering the path they walked earlier, Bankotsu concluded that they should be standing in the northeast wing. And the bird view of almost the entire campus through the windows told him that they were on the topmost floor of the building. He had always thought the campus would be prettier with more green and right now, he couldn't agree more with himself. Bored with the dull landscape, he turned back to the interior of the place, which was more pleasant to look at.

The flowery murals and soft red carpeting made the place look more like a regular bedroom than one belonging to a hospital. But he realized it wasn't a nice way to put it as he saw the depressed look on Sango's face. He followed her line of vision until he saw the large bed that stood against the wall in the far back.

"We don't have much time. Sesshoumaru will return from his meeting soon," she warned him.

He nodded understandingly and made his first steps forward.

A white canopy was held aloft on four chestnut poles at the corners of the bed. Besides that, it was composed of a strong, dark brown structure, white sheets and a scarlet blanket.

As he walked towards it, he couldn't help feeling as though he had entered a fairytale. One where he would be the determined prince who have just arrived at the topmost floor of a dangerous tower to rescue a damsel in distress. Everything seemed to be meeting the requirements, except for himself. Firstly, he was nothing like a prince and secondly, he was far from being determined. The truth was, he didn't believe he could save anyone. If it hadn't been for the dream he had this morning, he would probably never had come here.

He slowed down and eventually stopped when he reached the bedside. This should have been the moment where the prince would sit down on the edge and bend over to wake up the sleeping one with a magical kiss. But in reality, he didn't move an inch.

It seemed only a moment ago that he was talking to her, and now she was just like the maiden of a certain fairytale, cursed by an evil witch to sleep eternally.

Her face showed a peaceful expression as she lay there with the red blanket up to her chest and her hands clasped on top of it. Her raven hair was spilled gracefully over the white pillow on both sides of her head and adding up to the serene beauty that radiated from her sleeping face.

That very moment, as he looked at her, he made a silent vow to himself, just like every prince would have.

Fairytale or no fairytale. Prince or no prince. He would definitely put an end to the cruel curse that had befallen this princess.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**:  
Hey everybody! Sorry for the late update! As if two weeks isn't already enough, there's a chance I might take longer to update the next chapter. The first term is about to end and that can only mean one thing: exams and reports. I have two reports due next friday plus an exam on the same day...grunts... I delivered the previous report and now it's only hoping for a sufficient grade. 

I thank all of you who have reviewed! I am very happy to receive them (and all the ramen, chocolates and plushies hehehe) and I appreciate all of them very much! Thanks a bunch! In my author's notes I will answer questions posed by reviewers. You might notice that I haven't answered all of them, that's either because the question will be answered in the next chapter or...simply because I just forgot. Please forgive me if that's the case. **BelleDayNight**: I do have several ideas brewing in my busy mind (written on paper actually). Once I've finished this story, I'm thinking of putting some of them in my profile. Or maybe I'll just keep them to myself and surprise you when I post the next story :). **Seiteki Hekireki Jishinkaminarikajioyaji:** How was your paper?

Again, thanks for all your lovely reviews!

Lots of greets,

Kittymui

_'Italic'_: thoughts  
"...": spoken words  
-.-.-.-: time gap  
-CAPSLOCKED WORDS-: noises

-.-.-.-

**Next chapter: The unbroken link**

-.-

Yes! He finally met the present Kagome! Maybe you can already guess what the mysterious link to the past actually is, maybe not. No worries, it will be revealed later on. So...Sesshoumaru's going to arrive at the hospital soon, will Bankotsu and Sango be able to leave before he sees them? How will the overprotective brother react to Bankotsu's tresspassing?

-.-

**Vocabulary:**

Japanese people tend to say their last names before their first names, that's why I had Bankotsu say "Asahara Kagome" and not "Kagome Asahara".  
**hanyou: **half demon  
**onii-sama:** -sama is an honorific suffix, by adding it to onii, which means brother, makes it a very respectful way to refer to an older brother  
**shichinintai: **literally means seven-man-group, in the series they are a group of mercenaries consisting of 7 men.

-.-.-.-

Posted: 26 October 2005  
Last Edited: 26 October 2005  
Spelling check: YES

**DISCLAIMER: **I do not own Inuyasha or any characters of this story. And I do not own whatever elements of this story that seem familiar and had already been used by other creative individuals before. But... I do own the idea of mixing all of these elements together into a new story, I own the idea for the main plot of this story.


	29. The unbroken link

**A TALE FROM THE PAST**

-by Kittymui-

**The unbroken link**

It wasn't until he slammed with his back against the nearby wall that he realized what had happened. He glanced down at the two hands that were clutching the collar of his light blue shirt and slowly raised his gaze until he met an extremely annoyed pair of gold-amber.

Bankotsu recognized the tall student he bumped into yesterday. But instead of his college uniform, he was now dressed in a white short-sleeved shirt and a gray pair of trousers. His long silver-white hair was tied back, leaving some short bangs framing his stoic face.

"What are _you_ doing here?"

If gazes could kill, he would've surely been dead by now. His attention turned to Sango, who walked towards them. "Sesshoumaru, he only came to see her," she explained, but fell silent when Sesshoumaru glared daggers at her.

"You brought him here, didn't you?" he inquired coldly. "I will have a talk with your supervisor later."

Bankotsu felt his heart sink when he saw the nurse's face drop and he turned to Sesshoumaru. "Leave her out of this okay? I'm the one who insisted on coming here!" he argued.

His action earned him another slam against the wall behind him and he winced at the pain that shot through his shoulder.

"I don't know how you exactly managed to come in here but if you think you can fool me with the same excuses, you're wrong," the silver-haired one snarled angrily. "Now leave before I lose my patience."

Bankotsu grinned at his menacing words. Strangely enough, he felt rather amused than intimidated. "What if I don't want to?"

Sesshoumaru clenched his fists until his knuckles went white. He was just about to slam him against the wall again when Sango suddenly pulled at his arm to stop him. "Sesshoumaru no!" she cried and turned to Bankotsu. "Stop provoking him okay? Just tell him why you've come to see Kagome!"

To his surprise, Bankotsu saw a hint of amusement in the eyes of the graduate student when he shifted his eyes from the nurse to him. "Yes...why don't you spill your true motives. I suppose you're not that naive to think you can wake her up with a kiss, are you? But if you did, I can assure you that you're not the only one who tried."

A scowl registered on Bankotsu's face, but was soon replaced by a smirk. "As a matter of fact, I _do_ think I can wake her up," he told him confidently.

Sango looked at him quizzically while Sesshoumaru responded with an unimpressed look. "You?" he retorted.

"Yes," Bankotsu said as he jerked away his grip on his collar. He casually adjusted his rucksack and straightened his polo shirt before flashing him one of his arrogant smiles. "Believe it or not, I am the only one who can do it."

With that said, he brushed past him and made his way towards the exit.

"Bankotsu." It was Sango who called out to him and he paused in his steps to reply. "Don't worry, I will come back for her." And then he left the room.

As he closed the doors behind him, he took in a deep breath with his eyes closed.

_'Bravo Bankotsu! I'm so proud of you. You just signed your death sentence!'_ the voice in his head cheered.

Bankotsu opened his eyes again. _'Shut up, your sarcasm is not welcome right now.'_ His lips curled up into a grin as he started walking down the hallway. _'Besides, it was fun.'_

_'This isn't a game you know?'_

_'I know that.'_ He pushed the button to call the elevator and sunk into thoughts again. _'But that Sesshoumaru is too proud for his own good.'_

_'He's just being protective.'_

A soft chime announced the arrival of the elevator. _'Over...protective...'_ he corrected as he stepped inside and turned around. _'Just because his sister fell into a coma, doesn't mean he has to act all high and mighty toward others.'_

The doors were about to meet each other when a sudden hand stopped them and forced them to reopen.

Bankotsu was surprised to see Sesshoumaru on the other side of the opening. "What do _you_ want?" he asked him coolly.

"You're never to come here again, and that is _not_ a request," he stated plainly.

Bankotsu snorted. "Fine by me. You do realize that you're eliminating the only way to wake up your sister, right?" When he said that, he saw a slight movement in his thin brows, but to his disappointment, the stubborn silence remained until the doors began to close again.

Right before they completely sealed the opening, something snapped inside his head and he smacked the button to open them again. "Damn it Sesshoumaru, stop acting so cool!" he cursed angrily. "Why can't you just admit it!"

"Admit what?" the silver-haired one responded indifferently.

"That you've run out of ideas and that you need help!" he argued, his hand still on the elevator button.

"Are you insinuating that I should seek _your_ help? Don't give yourself so much credit boy," Sesshoumaru retorted. "I will continue my search for the best doctors, even if I have to leave Japan for it. And I will find a cure for Kagome no matter what the cost."

Bankotsu smacked his forehead with his other hand and grunted in frustration. "Don't you understand? You can't wake her up even if you sold your soul to the devil! Nobody can!"

"Nobody..." Sesshoumaru repeated. "...except you?"

"Exactly!" Bankotsu said with hope filling his eyes. For a moment, he thought he had succeeded in convincing him, butthe annoying indifference that remained on his face indicated that he still had a long way to go, and he let out a deep sigh. "You know, I really can't understand you. You said you'll do everything to cure you sister, but you refuse to believe me? Why? Because I don't have a doctor's degree? Well then let me tell you this Sesshoumaru. It his those you call doctors who haven't been able to find out what is wrong with her for the past eight months!" The last part came out somewhat suppressed as he reminded himself that it was a hospital. "If you still want to do it your way, fine! I won't stop you. But at the end, I will be the one to wake her and there's nothing you can do to stop me." He removed his hand from the elevator button and waited for the doors to close as he averted his gaze.

Much to his astonishment, Sesshoumaru suddenly stepped into the cabin to stand next to him.

"Why?" he suddenly asked after the doors closed and the elevator began to descend.

"Why what?" Bankotsu asked back without turning to him.

"Why do you want to help her?"

"Because..." he hesitated for a moment. He sighed as he could practically fell the impatience filling the air and simply blurted out the first explanation that came into mind. "Let's just say I owe her..."

"You owe her...?" The puzzled look on Sesshoumaru's face told him that he couldn't leave it unexplained and he turned to him fully. "The reason why I said I'm the only one who can wake her is because I'm the one who caused her to be in her current state."

"You?" This time, Sesshoumaru raised both brows and the word 'surprise' registered all over his features.

"Well, like I said...I owe her," Bankotsu explained awkwardly. "Truth is, I'm not sure _what_ I exactly owe her, yet. I've only recently heard that I'm somehow related to her sudden coma. I still need to do some reading and investigating..." His voice faltered when he realized how ridiculous it sounded and shook his head. "You know what? Never mind what I said, wouldn't believe me anyway."

At that moment, the elevator stopped descending and the doors opened to the first floor. Bankotsu stepped out of it and turned to Sesshoumaru. "I will come back when I know more. Goodbye," he said as he began to walk away.

A hand on his shoulder halted him abruptly and he turned around to face a rather calm Sesshoumaru. "Come with me," he said to him.

He narrowed his eyes. "Why should I?" he said as he jerked away from his hand. At the same time, he saw how his eyes glanced sidelong at something and he followed his line of vision until he met the word 'Security' printed on a white door.

Sesshoumaru turned around to leave and Bankotsu grunted in defeat as he followed suit.

"Where are we going?" he asked after they exited the building and entered the parking lot. He followed him until they stopped before a row of cars standing closest to the hospital. He watched how Sesshoumaru casually took out a bunch of keys from his pocket and walked towards the only silver Toyota in the row the glistened under the bright sun.

"Get in," Sesshoumaru commanded before disappearing into the car.

Bankotsu widened his eyes. "What?"

"Don't make me repeat myself," he said through a lowered window.

Having no other option, Bankotsu did as he was told and sat down in the passenger seat next to him. "Where are you taking me?" he asked again as he fastened his seatbelt. His question was again ignored as the driver seemed to be more focused on the driving than him.

The trip proceeded in silence and with nothing else to do, he studied the interior of the car. Despite the fact that Sesshoumaru's from a fairly wealthy family, his car looked barely different than that of any other regular person. Nevertheless, it was clean and free from any disagreeable scents that you could find in a vehicle. Everything was gray and black except for the small trinket that hung below the rearview mirror. Attached with red braided string, it turned out to be a white dog with a dark blue crescent moon on its forehead. Below it hung a small, red charm with the words 'drive safely' embroidered on it. It dangled back and forth with every turn the car took.

"That's a rather cute safety charm," he commented as he leaned against the back of his seat again.

"Kagome made it for me a long time ago," Sesshoumaru replied after a while.

Bankotsu turned to look at him. "A dog?"

Sesshoumaru stole a quick glance at the charm. "I was born in the year of the Dog, but I've never understood why she chose to make one with a crescent moon on its forehead."

Bankotsu suppressed a chuckled as he envisioned the looks of the dog demon version of Sesshoumaru in his mind. "Well...it does suit you perfectly," he blurted out before knowing it. "Uh...I mean the dog..."

He saw how Sesshoumaru eyed him warily before turning to the road again. "How long have you known Kagome?" he asked.

"She's in my class, but to be honest with you I barely know her. I transferred here a year ago, but even so, I've never really spoken to her," Bankotsu confessed. "Why do you ask?"

"It's just that...it's strange..." Sesshoumaru hesitated, probably for the first time in his life. "...Kagome said the same thing...she also said that the charm suited me perfectly when she gave it to me."

That moment, Bankotsu was sure he saw a glimpse of gentleness on Sesshoumaru's face before he returned to its indifferent state. "There are more strange things in this world. It's just that we don't know about them until they happen to us or those close to us." After that, he became silent, knowing that it would be best to leave the topic as is for now.

.-. later .-.

Some time later, they were driving calmly through a district filled with rows of standalone houses. High wooden fences separated one garden from the other, but even so, Bankotsu knew they had to be perfectly tended, if not nicely.

After several turns and passing several houses, Sesshoumaru drove up the sidewalk, past a pair of open gates and stopped the car.

"We're here," he said as he pulled out the keys and unfastened his seatbelt.

Bankotsu did the same and closed the door after stepping out of the car. He instinctively shielded his eyes from the bright sunlight and looked around him. The frontyard was carpeted with a nice fresh green lawn with several low, polished gray stones in it, paving a path from the car to the entrance of the house. Unlike other houses of the district, this one looked more like a mansion, which of course, was not surprising considering the property the family possessed. However, although it's larger, it didn't look much different from the outside than the rest.

"Are you coming or not?"

The voice shook him out of his reverie and he turned to Sesshoumaru, who was already standing near the entrance, looking impatient as always.

"Oh sorry," he apologized and made his way towards the mansion over the stepping stones.

After leaving their shoes behind in the hallway, they ascended the nearest wooden stairs and strode over the wooden floor until they entered a study. It was a quite large space with several bookshelves perfectly aligned to the left and a desk stood at the end of the room.

The study was a mix of modern and traditional taste as a flat screen personal computer stood on the mahogany desk while several old scroll paintings decorated the screens that partitioned the place.

Sesshoumaru sank into his black leather chair behind the desk and ushered Bankotsu to sit down on the brown one from across him.

"Start talking," he said.

"What do you want me to tell you?" Bankotsu asked as he sat down.

The man from across the desk settled against the black leather. "Everything," he told him.

"Everything?" Bankotsu racked his long braid to the front before copying Sesshoumaru. "Then I'll have to start from the moment I realized I was having the same dream over and over again, which was fifteen years ago."

He told Sesshoumaru what he exactly saw in his recurrent dream and how he came to study history here after the secondary school. He also told him about the book he found yesterday in that old, abandoned library and the strange dream he had that morning after reading the book. The one in which he met the Kagome of the past, or rather, what was left of her memories after having reincarnated.

"I know it sounds unbelievable and to be honest with you, I can hardly believe it myself. But after so many coincidences, there's no way I can see it as sheer coincidence anymore," he added at the end. Silence fell between them after that as he patiently waited for a reaction from the man before him, who seemed to be deep in thoughts.

"Can I see the book you mentioned?" he finally asked after a while.

"Sure." Bankotsu took out the book from his rucksack and handed it over to him.

Sesshoumaru bent forward to receive the thick library item and leaned back again while looking at the scarlet front cover. "Sengoku Jidai, the fall of the western lands," he read the title out loud and shifted to look at Bankotsu. "Is this a history book?"

"The tale told inside dates back 500 years, but I don't know about the book itself," he explained. "There is a letter hidden in the back cover, supposedly written by the author of this book. However, I doubt that he was a historian when he actually wrote the book, if that's what you mean."

There was an indescribable expression on Sesshoumaru's face as he studied the book from the outside. It looked as though he was afraid to open it and look inside, although Bankotsu was pretty sure he would rather die than admit it. For someone as sober as Sesshoumaru, it was imaginable that his world of science would crumble as soon as he starts to believe him.

"You know what? Why don't you read it?" he suddenly said.

The pair of gold-amber darted up to meet his.

"Why not? I mean...you're still doubting the credibility of my story right now, aren't you? So why don't you read the book for yourself and then decide whether you should believe me or not," Bankotsu opted as he got up from his chair.

Sesshoumaru frowned at his sudden action. "Who told you to leave?" he asked sternly.

"Nobody," he replied flatly. "But until you've read the book yourself, it's useless for us to discuss this any further." He flung his rucksack over his shoulder and made his way towards the door. "Oh and one more thing," he said as he looked over his shoulder. "Be sure to return it. Because no matter what your decision will be, I will still carry out what I had intended to do, so I'll be needing the book for that."

Sesshoumaru kept his stoic face as he responded. "What makes you so sure that I will return the book to you after reading it? If I don't believe you, I would probably do anything within my power to keep you away from her," he said and held up the book. "And eliminating your only clue to solving the so-called mystery would be the easiest way to do so."

Bankotsu smirked at this. "You wouldn't do that," he said as he turned to the door.

Sesshoumaru raised a brow. "Oh? And why wouldn't I?"

"Because..." He opened the door, ready to step out. "It wouldn't be fun if you did." With that, he walked out of the study without sparing him another glance.

But had he done that, he would've seen a genuine expression of amusement on the silver-haired one's face. Probably the first real emotion he showed since last year's midautumn.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**:  
I should be ashamed of myself for uploading such a short chapter after not updating for so long...I'm terribly sorry about that. Last week was quite hectic as I had to put together a presentation within 24 hours (I was notified on monday at 5 pm while the actual presentation date was on wednesday). On top of that, I had a paper due thursday (which was later on postponed to this weeks thursday to my relief) and an exam on friday. The exam was tough and I hope I made it...but it's no use brooding over it now since the new term has started already. I'll try to pick up the pace again, but please forgive me if I'm late with updating, I'm suffering some inspiration problems (again) and I'm not proud of it... Anyhow, thanks to all of you who have reviewed, I was truly happy to receive them and they've been greatly encouraging! Thanks a lot! 

Lots of greets,

Kittymui

_'Italic'_: thoughts  
"...": spoken words   
-.-.-.-: time gap  
-CAPSLOCKED WORDS-: noises

-.-.-.-

**Next chapter: A forgotten promise**

-.-

Sesshoumaru is still wavering after hearing Bankotsu's story and Bankotsu insists on him reading the book. Will he do it? Will he believe the tale told inside? The once sober Sesshoumaru is now going to seek the help of an old friend, whom he neglected for eight months, as a last resort, will she be able to help him and Bankotsu? Please look forward to the next chapter!

-.-

**Vocabulary:**

No words this time :).

-.-.-.-

Posted: 15 November 2005  
Last Edited: 15 November 2005  
Spelling check: YES

**DISCLAIMER: **I do not own Inuyasha or any characters of this story. And I do not own whatever elements of this story that seem familiar and had already been used by other creative individuals before. But... I do own the idea of mixing all of these elements together into a new story, I own the idea for the main plot of this story.


	30. A forgotten promise

**A TALE FROM THE PAST**

-by Kittymui-

**A forgotten promise**

BZZZ...BZZZ...

BZZZ...BZZZ...

_'...let me sleep...'_

BZZZ...BZZZ...

Bankotsu grunted loudly as he reached out for his cell phone that was buzzing on the bedside cabinet. Reluctant to life his heavy eyelids, he tapped the 'receive' button and placed the phone against his ear. "Hello?" he croaked.

"Didn't you know that sleeping more than 8,5 hours a day would lead to an early death?" a stoic voice sounded on the other side of the line.

Bankotsu bolted up from his bed with his eyes wide open. "Sesshoumaru? How did you get this number!"

"We need to talk. Come downstairs within ten minutes."

Bankotsu's widened in stupefaction. "Wha-? Wait! Don't h..." he yelled but the other end already hung up before he could finish. "Damn it!" he cursed. _'Downstairs...?'_ he thought fuzzily and got out of bed and moved towards the window.

He squinted from the bright sun that was hanging just above the rooftops. The sky was clear and blue and a beautiful yellowish blue gradient color embellished the horizon. When he shielded his eyes from the direct beams, he noticed something shimmering in the lower peripheral area of his eyes and glanced down until he saw the silver Toyota parked in front of his student flat. Although the vehicle was parked in such way that its roof shielded the driver's identity, he didn't have to guess who it was.

_'Great...'_ he groaned inwardly.

.-. later .-.

Fully dressed in a soft brown t-shirt and a pair of jeans, he rushed downstairs and exited the building. He slowly approached the car and bent forward to the window, only to see Sesshoumaru behind the wheel, in a plain white polo shirt and a pair of gray trousers. Strangely enough, he didn't seem to have noticed him until he actually tapped the glass.

Sesshoumaru turned to him and pushed a button to roll down the window. "Get in," he said.

"How did you find out where I live and my cell phone number?" Bankotsu demanded sternly.

"I have my ways," was his reply. "You're late, now get in."

Concluding that Sesshoumaru's stubbornness is a harder nut to crack than his own, Bankotsu eventually got in the car. "Spill it," he said after fastening his seatbelt.

"I told Sango that she'd get to keep her job if she told me how to contact you." Sesshoumaru started the engine and drove away from the sidewalk. "Hearing that, she immediately phoned someone...I think it was his younger brother."

Bankotsu felt a flash of guilt as he imagined what Sango did to get the information from Suikotsu. He glanced sideward at Sesshoumaru, but turned to him fully when he noticed something different about him. Aside from the concentration on the driving, his features seemed to be emitting a certain degree of fatigue and he couldn't help but ask. "Did you read the book?"

Sesshoumaru kept his eyes on the road when he replied. "Yes."

"The letter?"

"Yes."

"And?"

"The book is in the back."

Bankotsu turned to look over his shoulder and saw the thick book lying on the back seat. "Okay, so now you've read it. Does that mean you believe me?" he asked as he picked it up and resettled against the back of his seat.

He folded his arms together. "Well?"

"You said you wanted to help Kagome, didn't you?"

"Yes...?" he responded impatiently.

"Then you and I have a common goal," Sesshoumaru said coolly. "In that case, it would be beneficial for us to cooperate, don't you agree?"

Bankotsu grunted. "Would you just quit using that business language of yours! Do you believe me, yes or no?"

Sesshoumaru took his time to reply. "Yes, I believe you."

"Good." Bankotsu let out a relieved sigh. "Now we're talking on the same level."

"I asked a friend to do some investigating on the book and they found out that the book dates back to the Warring Age, just like the tale told inside it," explained Sesshoumaru. "But they were really puzzled about it's rate of degeneration. Normally, two centuries would be enough to make a book practically fall apart, unless it's kept very well. But this book of yours has existed for more than four hundred years and still it doesn't show any sign of serious deterioration."

Bankotsu suppressed an amused grin and turned to him. "They must have overwhelmed you with questions, didn't they?"

"I had the right not to answer," Sesshoumaru simply said.

Bankotsu laughed. "I knew you would say that." After a quick glance at the road and he realized that they had left the city. "Where are we going exactly?"

"Let me ask you this, have you got any idea where to start investigating after reading the book?" Sesshoumaru asked.

"Well uh...I planned to-"

"Didn't think so," he cut him off.

Bankotsu flashed him an annoyed look. "And I suppose you do?"

Sesshoumaru eyed him briefly. "When Kagome fell ill, I sought help from an old friend. But back then, all she did was telling me that the one who could help her hadn't awoken yet. That's why I decided to ignore her," he told him. "I didn't have faith in the supernatural."

"An old friend...?" Bankotsu cocked a brow.

He nodded. "After reading your book, I figured I probably have ignored her long enough..."

"Wait...is she the one we're going to right now?" Bankotsu asked. "What makes you think she'll be able to help us?"

"Because she's the descendant of the priestess Kikyou," Sesshoumaru replied plainly.

_'Kikyou...?'_ Bankotsu blinked in puzzlement but raised his brows as realizations struck him. "You mean _the_ Kikyou? The one from the book?"

Sesshoumaru responded with a bored look. "Do you know any other?"

"You are befriended with the descendant of a priestess who lived 500 years ago? Wow..." he widened his eyes in astonishment. "Then she must be pretty powerful herself too, right?"

"I'm not sure, but I heard she had helped a lot of people."

"Helped people, with spiritual powers?" Bankotsu asked curiously.

Sesshoumaru shrugged. "I don't know. Why don't you ask her when we arrive?"

He nodded determinedly. "I'll do that."

A short moment of silence ensued after that as Sesshoumaru focused on the road again while Bankotsu looked out of his window to the distant landscapes that slowly moved past them.

"Say Bankotsu..." Sesshoumaru suddenly interrupted the quietness.

He turned his attention to the driver again. "What?"

"Why are you so eager to help Kagome?"

"Because I'm the only one who can," he answered. "At least, that's what I believe. Although I'm not directly responsible for her current state, I would still feel guilty if I didn't do anything."

"Guilty?" Sesshoumaru turned to him with a puzzled look.

"Well, it's not only because of guilt that I'm doing this," he explained. "Before I went to the hospital, I thought I did, but when I saw her sleeping in that bed, I felt I actually wanted to help her. Not out of pity, but more out of instinct I guess. Maybe it's because I still have some remaining feelings of my previous incarnation inside me, I don't know."

"I see..." Sesshoumaru shifted to the road again.

The remaining time of the trip continued in silence until they entered an entirely different landscape. Large, wide rice fields reached as far as the eye could see and turned into ascending terraces as they climbed up the hillsides. The flooded fields reflected the light of the afternoon sun and created shimmering effects on the water surface.

"She lives pretty remote," Bankotsu commented without taking his eyes from the breathtaking scenery.

"Yes," Sesshoumaru agreed. "I heard from Kagome that she didn't like living in the city. She said it would disturb her spiritual practices."

"How did you get to know her?" he asked.

"Kagome once helped her when she came to the city to visit someone, that's how they became friends. Although I objected since I never was a believer of the supernatural, she insisted on keeping the friendship. She told me that she's a descendant of a great priestess named Kikyou, who guarded the Western Lands during the Warring Age." Sesshoumaru took a careful turn to the right at a crossroads and accelerated again. "But since Kagome have always been interested in that particular period, I eventually decided to let her visit her from time to time."

"Aha, so that's why you think she could help Kagome back then and can help us now," concluded Bankotsu.

"We're here," Sesshoumaru said as he drove into a driveway next to a small cottage and stopped in front of a wooden shed.

Both of them stepped out and Bankotsu scanned the environment while Sesshoumaru locked the car.

"So you've finally come to see me," an old voice spoke from behind them.

Bankotsu pivoted around and found himself looking at an old lady who was one head shorter than he. She had long gray hair tied back into a low ponytail and was wearing a yellow blouse with red flowers printed on it here and there. Together with her white shorts and straw sandals, the woman looked pretty youthful despite the fact that she must be in her sixties.

"Hello Kaede, it's been a while," he heard Sesshoumaru greet the woman before them.

"Yes, it's been eight months since you last came here," she nodded as her chestnut eyes traveled to Bankotsu. "Who might this handsome young man be?"

Bankotsu flushed at the sudden compliment and bowed politely. "I-I'm Bankotsu, Bankotsu Yukimori. Pleased to meet you ma'am," he introduced nervously.

"Please, just Kaede will do," the elder smiled warmly before turning back to Sesshoumaru. "So tell me, what brings you and this young man here today?"

"Bankotsu claims he's the one who can help Kagome," Sesshoumaru replied. "And I have reasons to believe that he's telling the truth."

"Oh?" the old woman raised her gray brows in surprise and shifted to Bankotsu. "So you are the one eh? How did you manage to persuade our stubborn young master?"

Sesshoumaru grumbled at this. "Show her the book Bankotsu."

Bankotsu did as he was told and handed over the library item he was holding.

Kaede glanced at the decaying title in gold. "This is..."

"This book was written by someone related to the princess of the Western Lands during the Warring Age. We believe that the tale told inside has strong relations with Kagome's coma and the dream I kept having since my childhood," Bankotsu explained.

He watched how the old woman ran her wrinkled hand over the scarlet cover before looking up at him. "Let us go inside first," she suggested and turned around.

She made her way to the small cottage and they followed.

To Bankotsu's surprise, the interior didn't resemble a spiritual tent; the furnishing and decoration were just like that of any other regular home. Most of them were made of dark wood, except for an unusual large mirror that was hanging on the wall in the back.

With a ceramic frame, the mirror stretched from the wooden floor to the white ceiling. In front of it stood a white, chair placed in a way that once seated in it, one would be looking straight into the mirror.

Intrigued by the unusual mirror and strange placement of the chair, he didn't realize he was still standing in the doorway.

"Uh-hum..." Sesshoumaru coughed right behind him.

"Oh sorry!" he apologized and quickly stepped aside. "I was a bit startled at the large mirror that's standing in the back."

The elder before him chuckled. "Yes, extraordinary isn't it?"

She ushered them both into the living room. "Please sit down." She pointed at the creamy colored sofa. "You two must be thirsty after the long trip. Can I get you something to drink?"

"Tea please," replied Sesshoumaru as he leaned back comfortably with one leg placed over his other and his hands clapsed on his lap.

Bankotsu blinked at his bluntness and turned to the old woman. "Euh...I'll have a glass of water, thank you."

She disappeared into the hallway and returned a moment later with a wooden tray in her hands. "Here you go," she said, placing the tray on the coffee table before them. There were two coffee cups of the same set and a glass of water on the tray and she took a cup before settling down on the armchair from across them. "Now if you don't mind, I would like to hear the whole story behind your sudden visit."

Bankotsu looked to the side at Sesshoumaru, who gave him an approving nod, before turning back to her again. "I guess I'll have to tell you about my recurrent dream first..." he began.

He told her the same things he told Sesshoumaru two days ago: the dream he kept having, the book he coincidentally found and his encounter with the remaining memory fragment of the princess of the past in the dream he had right after reading the book.

.-.-.-.

By the time he finished, the glass and coffee cup of him and Sesshoumaru were already drained from their content and resting on the coffee table together with the scarlet book.

The old woman sipped the last bit of her coffee before setting the cup on the low table. "I must say," she said, leaning back into her chair. "all these years of my work as a spiritual practitioner, this is the first time I heard something this interesting."

"Do you still have that recurrent dream at night?" she asked.

Bankotsu shook his head. "Not anymore, the dream where I saw everything from a third person's perspective was the last one since I read the book."

Kaede clasped her hands as though praying. "I see..."

"I heard from Sesshoumaru that you are the descendant of the high priestess Kikyou, who lived during the Warring Age," said Bankotsu. "We had hoped you could help us with solving this riddle."

She smiled. "I am indeed Kikyou-sama's descendant, but what is it that you want from me?"

"Is there any chance you can determine the authenticity of the book's content?" Sesshoumaru asked as he leaned forward a bit.

The elder took a moment to think. "I think I have read some records before that were saying something about a barrier protecting the West." She shook her head a little as she said that, as if she wasn't too sure about it. "But that was a very long time ago. To tell you the truth, I myself am not too knowledgeable about the past, even though my roots stretches far back into time. I'm afraid I cannot help you with your request."

A disappointing atmosphere hung above their heads as silence fell between them and Bankotsu decided to ask the question that he'd been wanting to ask the moment he entered the house. "What does that mirror do?" He pointed at the large mirror in the back."

"That, is called the mirror of truth," the woman explained. "It's been passed down many generations before it was handed down on to me. But it has no longer been used for the past two centuries. Although I have been told about it's abilities before, my memory doesn't allow me to recall it anymore."

"But there is a reason for that chair to stand in front of that mirror, am I right?" Bankotsu asked.

The elder nodded. "Yes, if I remember correctly, something should be shown on the mirror when someone sits in that chair. Something that is related to the person in the reflection."

Bankotsu stood up from the sofa. "Can I...try it?"

Both Kaede and Sesshoumaru looked at him with bewilderment in their faces.

"Well...I don't know if it will work, but if you insist, I'll try looking for the enchantment that'll trigger the mirror," she said.

"Please do," said Bankotsu as he walked towards the mirror.

The woman disappeared into the hallway again and Sesshoumaru approached Bankotsu. "Are you sure about this?" he asked.

"It's the only option we have right now," responded Bankotsu. "According to the girl in my dream, I too have some remaining memory fragments in myself. I'm guessing that this mirror will somehow be able to show those to us. Maybe it will reveal clues might aid us in solving the mystery revolving around Kagome's coma." He saw down on the white chair and leaned against its back.

Kaede returned after a while with an old parchment in her hands and stopped next to Sesshoumaru. "This should be the enchantment that will trigger the mirror. Are you ready?"

He nodded.

"I'm about to read the spell to wake up the mirror, in the meantime, you should empty your mind and relax as much as possible," she explained as she unfolded the aging paper.

As soon as the chanting commenced, Bankotsu turned back to the mirror and closed his eyes. _'Please...let it work...'_ he prayed inwardly.

The spell was shorter than he had expected and a calm silence ensued after the chanting ended. _'What's happening...? Why is the rest so quiet?' _he wondered and turned to Kaede and Sesshoumaru before opening his eyes.

He was surprised to see their frozen features and slowly trailed along their lines of vision until he was looking at the mirror again.

His eyes widened.

What should have been a reflection of him in the chair and the rest of the room, had now become a projection of a fuming mansion. The same mansion he saw in the dream where he met Kagome of the past. The smoke gushed out of the windows and sliding doors and small signs of fire were beginning to show on the window frames.

Suddenly, like a moving camera during a movie shooting, the scene started to move towards the building. Without avoiding the partitioning walls, they entered the place in a straight line until they reached a certain room. The lack of smoke indicated that the fire had yet to extend its boundaries to this part of the building.

On the floor at the room's center sat a person with its back to them. It was a man dressed in white armor with purple fern-shaped figures printed on it. He had a long thin braid resting half against his back and half on the wooden floor. The huge bloodied halberd that lay behind the man told Bankotsu clearly which scene he was actually looking at. This was when his previous incarnation realized he had killed the woman he loved and regretfully held her lifeless body in his arms.

He watched how the assassin laid her down to the floor and picked up his halberd before walking away. As soon as he disappeared, the projection went white and then showed the same room again. This time, only the princess could be seen in the room. Her kimono was still taking up the blood that flowed from the wound in her abdomen, creating a reddish yellow color in the fabric. Her face was turned to the other side, making it impossible for them to see her features.

Suddenly, someone appeared not very far from her still form. The way the scene was zoomed in prevented them from seeing his face, but from his clothing and the furry tail that almost touched the floor near his feet, Bankotsu knew it was the dog demon. But he didn't need to tell Kaede and Sesshoumaru since the person in the projection eventually knelt down next to the dead princess.

Bankotsu stole a glance at Sesshoumaru to see his reaction and he wasn't surprised to see his widened eyes. Aside from the dark crescent moon and markings on the cheeks, he knew Sesshoumaru would be confounded by the striking resemblance between him and the dog demon.

On the projection, the dog demon lowered himself to gather his fallen sister and Bankotsu could see the shock in Sesshoumaru's eyes when the princess' face finally became visible for them. With her eyes closed, she and the Kagome they saw back in the hospital resembled like two drops of water.

As the dog demon held the princess' remains close to him, the scene zoomed out until the entire fortress was visible within the ceramic frame.

With a sinking feeling in his heart, Bankotsu watched how the fortress collapsed. Now that he had seen it while being fully awake, he painfully realized that it wasn't just a dream anymore.

He watched how the projection darkened and turned to Sesshoumaru and Kaede. While the old woman kept her attention to the mirror, Sesshoumaru slowly looked his way with a mix of emotions registered on his face.

"Look!" Kaede suddenly cried, urging them to look at the mirror.

When they did, both of them raised their brows in surprise. They were now looking at a small house with a forestial background. Just like before, the scene traveled through the walls of wood into the hut. A primitive stove stood against the right-hand wall while some cabinets were aligned to the wall before them. The furnishing and interior didn't seem familiar to Bankotsu and he silently wondered why the mirror was showing this. Suddenly the view made a ninety degrees turn to the left, showing the rest of the small dwelling together with a person who was sitting at the corner in the back.

Bankotsu widened his eyes when it turned out to be Kagome. She had her eyes closed and was leaning against the wall with her head. From the slow rising and falling of her shoulders, she seemed to be sleeping.

Without zooming into her, the projection became black again and the normal reflection of him and the room reappeared.

Kaede was the first one to speak. "Those were the same scenes you saw in your last dream, am I right?"

"Not all of them," Bankotsu replied as he stood up from the sofa. "I did read about that house of the last scene projected in the mirror, but I've never seen it in my dreams before."

"The one sleeping in the back...that...was Kagome..., wasn't it?" Sesshoumaru asked, a bit confused.

"Yeah," he nodded. "Of 500 years ago."

"She seemed to be waiting," Kaede added puzzled. "But what does that mean?"

"I don't know..." Bankotsu mumbled as he sunk into a state of thinking. _'Why was the mirror showing that? Wasn't it just a scene from the book where Kagome was just waiting for her guardian?_' he mused inwardly. But he frowned when he realized something. _'Wait a minute...the one in the mirror...she was wearing that kimono! The Kagome in that house was wearing the kimono she wore when she died!'_

He ran towards the coffee table and grabbed the book that was lying next to the glass and cups. _'She died...and yet she went back to that house in the forest...and waits...' _he thought as he flipped through the pages. _'That means someone told her to wait there...a promise...but where was it again?'_

"Found it!" he cried and ran back to Sesshoumaru and Kaede. "Look here!"

All three of them gazed down at the passage of text Bankotsu was pointing at.

_"Then let us make another promise," he suggested. "Let us meet here at this place on the last day of autumn. I promise that as long as there's still strength residing in these legs, I'll come running back..." _Sesshoumaru read aloud.

"Are you saying that Kagome fell into a coma because of that promise?" Kaede asked, looked up from the pages.

"It would be logical to think so, don't you agree?" Bankotsu said as he closed the book. "There was a promise made to meet in that house, but Kagome died before that day arrived. The memory fragment I met in the last dream told me that Kagome fell into a coma because of a link of the past clinging to the present. She also said that this link is what stopped her life temporarily on the day she died because it remembered something that needed to be fulfilled."

"And that promise is the link that's still binding you two to your previous lives?" Sesshoumaru posed.

Bankotsu nodded. "Part of your sister's soul remembered that promise, so it went back in time to keep that promise. That explains why we saw Kagome sleeping inside the house."

"But how is that related to Kagome's current state? It's only part of her soul that left," Sesshoumaru argued. "And what about that recurrent dream you kept having?"

This time, Kaede decided to contribute to solving the mystery. "It is only a soul fragment of the Kagome of the past, it only remembered the promise, but it forgot that Kagome already died 500 years ago and that she has reincarnated. Hence, it took your sister's soul with it to the promised reunion, thinking that it is the soul of the Kagome of the past," she reasoned.

"And I kept seeing the same scene of my previous incarnation killing his lover because of a memory fragment that remained inside me. It was probably a fragment of regretfulness. Most likely, the promise he made to the princess became forgotten after the reincarnation, that's why Kagome's memory fragment had to remind me of it."

"So it's all because of that promise she made in her previous life with your previous life," concluded Sesshoumaru. "But Bankotsu wasn't there in that house we saw in the mirror."

Kaede nodded. "Yes, it seems that she is still waiting for him."

"The fact that I'm here, means that the Bankotsu of the past already died," Bankotsu reasoned aloud. "So part of his soul is clinging onto my current one as well, but how do I set it free so that it can keep the promise?"

"Let us go to the hospital where Kagome is right now, maybe I can find some clues by examining her current form," suggested Kaede.

Both Bankotsu and Sesshoumaru nodded at the idea and made their way to the exit.

.-.-. back at the hospital .-.-.

"Did you find something?" Sesshoumaru asked when Kaede finished examining Kagome.

"She's just like any other person who's soundly asleep, the only difference is that she is not waking up like others. I can't seem to find anything unusual about her coma...except that..." the old woman hesitated.

"Except what?" Bankotsu asked.

"Well, when I examined her abdomen, I sensed a very restless sensation. It felt like some sort of craving," she described.

"Her abdomen? That's where the assassin stabbed the princess with his halberd," recalled Sesshoumaru.

Kaede thought for a short moment before turning to him. "Is it alright to reveal her abdomen for me? It would be easier that way for me to determine what kind of craving it is."

Sesshoumaru hesitated at first since Bankotsu was there too, but eventually he approved of it.

With him and Bankotsu standing behind her, Kaede lowered the blanket to below her belly and carefully pulled up her nightdress to an acceptable height.

Both Kaede and Bankotsu widened their eyes at the huge dark scar that ran vertically over the skin of her abdomen.

"Kagome had had this scar ever since she was born. I had always thought it was too unusual for a birthmark, but the doctors didn't find anything, so we ignored it," Sesshoumaru told them.

Bankotsu watched how Kaede placed her hand on top of the scar and retracted it immediately as if she had just touched boiling water.

"What is it Kaede?" Sesshoumaru asked worriedly.

No reply came from the old woman.

"Is it...a craving for revenge?" Bankotsu finally asked after a moment of silence.

She shook her head. "Not revenge...but the scar is craving for blood..." she said as her face went a bit pale.

Sesshoumaru frowned in puzzlement. "Blood?"

"It's my blood, isn't it?" Bankotsu asked her.

Again, she didn't reply, but he felt he already knew enough and took out a pocket knife that he always kept with him for reasons of self-defense.

Just when he was about to approach the bedside, Sesshoumaru stepped in between with narrowed eyes. "What do you think you're doing!" he snapped.

"I'm giving the scar what it wants!" Bankotsu snapped back. "Step aside!"

"No!"

Bankotsu scowled. "Look, do you want to save your sister or not!"

"I do! But there must be another way!" he argued.

"There is no other way!" he growled and roughly pushed him aside.

Not giving Sesshoumaru a chance to stop him, Bankotsu quickly ran the sharp edge of the knife over his left arm and held it above Kagome's abdomen.

He watched how the blood seeped out of the gash he made and dripped on top of the dark scar.

Sesshoumaru ran to him and grabbed him by his collar angrily, causing him to drop his bloodied knife to the carpet.

Bankotsu kept his bleeding arm above the scar ands felt the strength being drained from his body. Out of the corner his eye, he saw Sesshoumaru's lips move and Kaede pulling at his arm, but he could no longer hear what they were saying.

Soon, everything before his eyes became white.

.-.-.-.

_'Uhn...'_

He slowly opened his eyes and blinked several times. _'Where am...I...?'_ A ceiling of leaves above him rustled at a passing breeze. _'W-what happened...?'_ He squinted at the sunlight that the leaves failed to block and shielded his eyes as he slowly pushed himself up. _'Did I just fall asleep...?'_ he thought foggily.

His eyes explored his surroundings and he realized he had been sleeping on the grass in the middle of the forest, but...how long have he slept? He had no idea.

_'What was I doing here...?'_ he wondered to himself as he stood up.

With no particular destination in mind, he simply advanced forward in the dense forest. As he strode forward, he began to regain his memory bit by bit. _'I was supposed to go somewhere...I promised...'_ he faintly recalled.

His train of thoughts crashed when he suddenly found himself looking at a small house. _'Here...that's right...I remember now...'_ he realized as he walked towards the door and pushed it open. _'I promised her...that I would come here...'_

Everything stood just like he had remembered. The stove, the cabinets and even the low table near the window. It wasn't until he approached the low table that he suddenly noticed someone at the corner in the back. The person, who turned out to be a woman, had her knees pulled up and enclosed them with both arms while her head was slightly tilted to lean against the wall next to her. She was wearing a beautiful yellow kimono with red sakura flowers embroidered in it and near her feet, the garment was soft red with white petals.

His eyes widened when he realized who it was. "Kagome!" he cried as he ran towards her and knelt down. He slightly shook her by her shoulders and repeatedly called out to her. "Kagome! Kagome, wake up!"

"Nh..." she groaned as her eyes fluttered open.

"Kagome!"

Her unfocused chestnut eyes slowly raised to meet his blue-gray ones and she let out a soundless yawn. "B-Bankotsu?"

Upon hearing her voice, Bankotsu felt he was breathing again and pulled her into a tight hug. "Thank the heavens! Kagome...I thought...I thought you were..." he couldn't bear to finish the sentence, instead he ran a hand through her raven hair and took in her scent of spring rain.

"I-I'm sorry..." she apologized in his chest as she hugged him back. "I must have fallen asleep while waiting. I didn't mean to worry you."

"I'm sorry for being late..." Bankotsu apologized as he pulled back a little to look down at her.

Kagome rubbed her eyes. "How long have I been asleep?"

"I'm not sure, but your calm face told me that you must've been having a nice dream," he replied with a warm smile. "What were you dreaming about?"

Kagome tilted her head slightly. "I can't remember anymore," she said and she looked into his eyes. Suddenly, she moved her face closer to his. "Your eyes...they're...different...you can see again?"

Bankotsu took one of her hands in his and smiled. "Yeah, one of my companions cured me while you were gone."

"That's great!" she smiled happily.

She was puzzled when Bankotsu's smile dropped. "What's wrong Bankotsu?" she asked worriedly.

"Kagome..." he began as he averted his gaze. "I'm sorry...for what I did...to you...and your family..."

He was surprised when Kagome cupped his cheek with her other hand. "Don't blame yourself...you didn't know. I know you must've had a good reason for doing what you did..." she said with a gentle voice.

"Please Kagome...scold me...be angry at me..." he pleaded. "What I did was unforgivable..."

A moment of silence ensued until Kagome decided to speak again. "So...what took you so long to keep your promise...?" she finally asked, hoping it would get them off of the tormenting topic.

"After I..." he began but refrained himself from mentioning his terribly sin. "I had wanted to join you as soon as I rescued your little brother, but then I remembered Ginkotsu and Kyoukotsu, who were still being held captive by Naraku. He said he would release them as soon as the barrier protecting the West disappeared, so I decided to get my men first. After I got them out and safely escorted them to the North, I told them that the Shichinintai had been disbanded and that they should decide how to live their lives from then on. We said goodbye to each other and then I set out for the West again, to the fallen fortress."

He placed a soft kiss on her hand. "I'm so sorry. I was making my way to this place...I don't understand why it took me so long. When I woke up again, I found myself lying on the grass in the forest. I can't seem to remember what had happened in the meantime."

To his surprise, there was no sign of anger on Kagome's face and she smiled at him instead. "See? I knew you had a good reason for your actions! That's why you shouldn't blame yourself anymore, okay?"

"But..." Bankotsu wanted to argue, but he didn't get to finish his sentence as she silenced him with a kiss.

"It's okay..." she said softly after she pulled away and placed herself against his chest. "You're here now...and that's all that matters...you have kept your promise...I don't have any regrets anymore..."

"Kagome..." he whispered her name as he held her close to him again.

The two of them stayed in that position until they slowly disappeared, leaving an empty house behind.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**:  
A bit late again, but I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter. Now all the mysteries are solved right? I hope you liked the ultimate reunion of Bankotsu and Kagome (in the past). I almost cried when I wrote the last part...sniff... Anyway you might think that this is the end of this story, but it's NOT:) So don't abandon this story yet! 

By the way, has a new feature that allows me to reply to signed reviews :), that means, I can reply to your reviews again! To those who are not able to write signed reviews: Thank you very much for reading and reviewing my story! I appreciate all your reviews!

Lots of greets,

Kittymui

_'Italic'_: thoughts  
"...": spoken words   
-.-.-.-: time gap  
-CAPSLOCKED WORDS-: noises

-.-.-.-

**Next chapter: A tale retold**

-.-

So everything in the past has been resolved, but what will happen to Kagome and Bankotsu in the present time? Please look forward to the next chapter!

-.-

**Vocabulary:**

**Shichinintai: **literally means 'seven-man-group', it is a group of assassins (mercenaries) led by Bankotsu.  
**-sama:** honorific suffix added to ones name whom you respect very much.

-.-.-.-

Posted: 28 November 2005  
Last Edited: 28 November 2005  
Spelling check: YES

**DISCLAIMER: **I do not own Inuyasha or any characters of it. And I do not own whatever elements of this story that seem familiar and had already been used by other creative individuals before. But... I do own the idea of mixing all of these elements together into a new story!


	31. A tale retold

**A TALE FROM THE PAST**

-by Kittymui-

**A tale retold**

"Ngh..."

Bankotsu's eyes fluttered open and slowly regained focus on the white ceiling above him. "W-where am I?" he croaked hoarsely.

"You're in the hospital," a voice replied dryly.

He rolled his head to the side and found Sesshoumaru sitting on a chair next to his bed. "Hospital?"

"That's right," said Sesshoumaru as he stood up. "After that rash action of yours, you suddenly fainted."

Confusion must have registered on his face as Sesshoumaru's expression changed from a stoic to an impatient one. "Don't tell me you've forgotten," he grumbled.

Bankotsu took his time to refresh his memories. Eventually, it all came back to him and he turned to Sesshoumaru. "What happened after I fainted?" he asked.

"After you fainted, we had to carry you to this ward. I asked some doctors to check on your health, Kaede and I thought you fainted due to low blood pressure, but the doctors didn't find anything so I just had them patch you up while you were sleeping," he told him. "After that, we had to change the sheets and clothes of my sister since they were soaked with your blood."

"I see..." Bankotsu mumbled inattentive as it wasn't really the information he asked for.

"But the strange thing was," Sesshoumaru continued. "When we were changing her clothes, we found that the huge scar on her abdomen was gone."

"Gone?" he eyed him quizzically.

Sesshoumaru nodded. "Even Kaede was amazed, but she said that she couldn't feel the craving anymore coming from Kagome's abdomen."

"Heh, I guess my _rash_ action was useful after all huh?" Bankotsu retorted as slowly pushed himself up. "How long have I slept?" he asked, scanning his surroundings. His bed was located in a small ward with white walls and soft yellow carpeting.

Sesshoumaru looked at his watch. "You've slept for approximately eight hours, it's 10 pm right now," he replied. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine, just a little bit dizzy." Bankotsu's head perked up when he remembered something and he turned to Sesshoumaru. "More importantly, how is she? Did it work?"

When he asked that, a strange expression appeared on Sesshoumaru's face, one Bankotsu had never seen before. But before an answer was given, another voice entered the room through the door near them that was slightly ajar.

"Sesshoumaru nii-sama? Who are you talking to?"

Bankotsu's eyes widened as he recognized the voice and shifted to look at Sesshoumaru, who said nothing and walking out of the room.

"I was talking to the person I told you about earlier, he just woke up." He heard him reply.

"He did? That's good to hear!"

A bit flabbergasted, Bankotsu climbed out of his bed and slowly made his way towards the door. The moment he walked through the opening, he realized he had been hospitalized in a room right next to the large one of Sesshoumaru's sister.

"Hello," a voice greeted him. His eyes darted to the canopy bed to his left and met a pair of chestnut orbs.

The raven-haired girl who had been sleeping like a rose before was now fully awake and sitting upright on her bed with a large pillow behind her. Next to her on the edge of the bed sat Sesshoumaru. "Kagome, meet Bankotsu. Bankotsu, this is Kagome," he said as he stood up.

"Nice you meet you," smiled the girl beside him.

"Pleasure's all mine," Bankotsu nodded nervously. Just when he thought how sweet her smile actually was, he felt daggers flying from Sesshoumaru's direction and immediately brushed off the thought. It wasn't until his sister called out to him, that he stopped glaring. "Sesshoumaru nii-sama? I'm a bit thirsty, can I have a glass of water?" she asked.

Without saying anything, Sesshoumaru walked out of the room and into the hallway.

Bankotsu let out a relieved sigh when the door clicked close but quickly held his hand before his mouth as he realized he wasn't alone. He slowly turned to the girl on the bed, who merely smiled at him. "Please forgive my brother, his over-protectiveness tends to clouds his mind sometimes," she said. "Bankotsu...right?"

"Yes?"

She slightly tilted her head as she looked at his face. "Have we...met?"

"I'm studying history in the same class as you, but I've only recently transferred here," he told her.

She raised her brows. "Really? No wonder I thought I'd seen you before..."

"By the way, do you remember why you are in a hospital?" he asked her after a while.

The girl thought for a moment. "Well, the last thing I remember was blowing the candles on my birthday cake," she recalled. "My mind's completely blanc after that."

_'So she doesn't remember anything...'_ he realized inwardly. _'I guess that's logical...reincarnations are not supposed to remember anything of their pasts...' _If it wasn't for the book, he wouldn't have known about his previous life either. He stole a glance at her. _'Now that she has awoken, does that mean the link to the past has been severed?'_ he mused. _'Even the scar on her abdomen is gone, does that mean everything has resolved?'_

"My brother did tell me that I fell in a sudden coma on my birthday, but to me it was like I had just woke up from a long dream," she continued and turned to him. "Can you tell me how long I have been sleeping?"

"It's July now, so you've been sleeping for about 8 to 9 months now," he calculated. When he saw her widen her eyes, he began to wonder if he shouldn't have told her.

"I did? Aw man, I hope I can still catch up with the rest..." she pouted to herself. "Did I miss out a lot?"

He was rather surprised at her reaction and it took him a moment to realize that she was asking him something. "Huh? Oh...we had some mid-term exams, but I'm sure they'll let you retake them after you've completely recovered."

But the sad expression remained as she glanced down at her outstretched legs beneath the blanket. "I've been sleeping for so long...do you think I'll be able to recover before school starts again?"

"Don't worry, I'll help," Bankotsu blurted out before he knew it. Surprised by his own words, he averted his gaze to hide a blush. "Uh, I mean...I can help you with history while you're in rehabilitation...if you want..." he quickly added.

An awkward silence fell between them after he said that.

"I heard from my brother..." she suddenly began. "...that you're the one responsible for my recovery. Why did you help me? We barely know each other."

The question startled Bankotsu and he didn't know how to respond. Should he tell her the truth? He mentally shook his head. _'Some things are better left unsaid...' _he thought to himself. Memories of the past life weren't erased for no reason. "Knowing a person isn't a prerequisite for helping that person. You of all people should agree with that right?" he asked her back.

She smiled at that and nodded. "I couldn't agree more."

"Ahum..."

Both Bankotsu and Kagome turned to the voice, only to see Sesshoumaru standing in the doorway with a glass of water in his hand. He walked over to Kagome's side and placed the glass of water in her hands before turning to Bankotsu again. With his back to his sister, he gestured to him to go outside the room and Bankotsu did as he was told.

"Did you tell her the truth?" he asked, closing the door behind him.

He shook his head. "No, I figured that the past should remain the past. Some things are better left unsaid," he told him. "But she asked me how long she had been sleeping so I told her the truth, I hope you don't mind."

"It's okay, it's not like I was planning to hide it from her. She'll found out sooner or later," Sesshoumaru reasoned.

Bankotsu leaned against the wall with his back. "So what do you intend to do now? Announce to the world that she has awoken?"

Sesshoumaru shook his head. "All the doctors we know have signed a silence-treaty about this matter, so not many people know about Kagome's strange coma. Thus, her awakening won't attract much attention fortunately."

"How about people at school?" he asked.

Sesshoumaru cocked a brow. "If your friend hadn't told you about Kagome and if you didn't have such a strange past, you wouldn't have known about her coma and that she was absent for the past 8 to 9 months, did you?"

Bankotsu fell silent. He did have a point there.

"Didn't think so," he said. "So there's no need to worry about the other students."

A moment of silence passed and he couldn't help but wonder about something strange. "By the way, now that your sister's awake, I had expected the rest of your family to be here as well. Why haven't they come?" he finally asked.

Sesshoumaru casually flung some strands over his shoulder. "They're busy people, but I made a phone call earlier. They said they would fly over here as soon as time permits."

"As soon as time permits?" Bankotsu widened his eyes in surprise. "Shouldn't visiting their daughter be a top priority?"

"If they're delayed arrival benefits people, Kagome wouldn't mind."

Bankotsu raised a brow in puzzlement. "What do you mean?"

"Both our parents are doctors. Currently, they're in Europe to attend a conference where doctors worldwide gather around to share knowledge."

"Aha...so that's why..." Bankotsu nodded understandingly. "Then how about you?"

"What about me?"

"Doing anything that contributes to the society?"

Sesshoumaru's expression remained stoic. "I was writing my thesis, but with my parents abroad and sister in coma, I had to put my work aside to look after her."

"But now that she's awake, you can continue with your thesis, right?" Bankotsu reasoned.

"Not quite right. Kagome needs to rehabilitate after having slept for so long, so someone still has to look after her."

"How about Sango? Kagome's her patient right? Now that I think about it, she wasn't here when we came here this afternoon."

"That's right," nodded Sesshoumaru. "She asked for a holiday right after I promised not to fire her. I guess I put too much pressure on her all this time..."

"You sure did." Bankotsu grinned. "So...do you need some help?"

Sesshoumaru immediately flashed him an annoyed look with narrowed eyes. And Bankotsu scowled in return. "Geez...why are you always looking at me like that when I'm only trying to be nice?"

To his surprise, the cold gold-amber eyes softened in an instant and looked away. "You're right, I'm sorry..."

"Huh...w-what?" The apology came rather expected and left Bankotsu dumbfounded.

Sesshoumaru rubbed his forehead and revealed some exhaustion that he had been keeping hidden before. "It's just...there have been so many people claiming that they could cure her while they were actually after our family assets. I just didn't know whom to trust anymore."

Hearing that, Bankotsu suddenly recalled Suikotsu telling him that Sesshoumaru was a different person before.

"In time, I realized I've been looking at others with distrust and prejudice," Sesshoumaru continued. "You've actually done a lot for us and yet I haven't properly thanked you for that."

Bankotsu waved with his hand. "Don't worry about it," he said, but realized that Sesshoumaru had already offered him a hand and took it without hesitation. "In that case, I'm glad I could help." And they shook their hands with acceptance.

"So how do you plan to help me?" Sesshoumaru asked.

Bankotsu retracted his hand and pushed back his braid. "Just like you said, she needs rehabilitation right? How about I look after her in your stead? In the meantime, you can visit her anytime you want."

Sesshoumaru cocked a wary brow. "Just as long as you don't hold any ulterior motives towards my sister, I will approve of your idea."

Bankotsu's eyes widened. "Ulterior...what? No of course not!"

Sesshoumaru's face became slightly serious. "You study history, don't you? I'm sure you must have learned something about customs in the past," he said. "Several centuries ago, I would have surely forced you to take Kagome's hand in marriage. After seeing her abdomen like that, she definitely would've been declared tainted for the rest of her life and then nobody would want to have her anymore."

Aside from being surprised, Bankotsu had to agree with him. While studying the past, he did come across such a custom before, and he never really liked it. It never was the woman's fault when such tragedy takes place and yet, the woman is the one to suffer.

"But luckily, we're finding ourselves in the 21st century," Sesshoumaru sighed in relief. "Judging from your reaction earlier, you would probably not have the slightest intention to marry my sister."

Bankotsu's eyes grew wide. "That's not true!" He placed a hand over his lips. Blood rushed to his cheeks as he realized what he had just said. "W-wait, I didn't mean-"

He was cut off when he saw the smirk on Sesshoumaru's face. "What are you so nervous about?"

"I'm not nervous!" growled Bankotsu embarrassed.

Half-seriously, Sesshoumaru added. "In any case, if you intend to ask for my sister's hand in marriage, you'll have to convince me of your sincerity first."

Bankotsu almost choked at his words. "What the...why are we even talking about this!" he coughed.

"Hmm, you're right." He smirked as he adjusted some misplaced strands of his silvery hair. "You two aren't even lovers yet."

"Why you-!" Bankotsu's cheeks became burning red as Sesshoumaru's laughter echoed in the hallway. "You're enjoying this, aren't you?" he scowled.

"I'm loving it." Sesshoumaru flashed him an evil smile. "You're just too amusing for me not to enjoy it."

Bankotsu rolled his eyes at his arrogance.

"...but you're also the first one to help me that unconditionally...and that's very admirable."

He raised his brows at the sudden commend and shifted to look at Sesshoumaru, who was bowing deeply to him. "I am very grateful." He heard him say.

Not knowing how to deal with such a situation, Bankotsu quickly looked up at the ceiling and snorted. "Feh! Who said there were no conditions? I just hadn't thought about it yet." He stole a glance at a surprised pair of gold-amber eyes and smirked. "But I'll inform you once I've come up with an appropriate restitution."

Saying nothing, Sesshoumaru placed a hand on his shoulder and moved closer to his ear. "Anyway, I'll be placing Kagome in your care for now. I trust you that you won't let anything happen to her in the meantime, or else I'll make sure that you'll spend the rest of your life in this hospital," he whispered.

"We'll see about that," he grinned in respond. _'I guess that part of his character will never change...'_ He thought as he watched Sesshoumaru enter Kagome's room again.

"No, it's okay. I'm twenty now remember? I've burdened you for too long now, it's time for you to concentrate on your thesis." He heard Kagome's voice from the half-open door.

"You were never a burden to me Kagome," Sesshoumaru stated. "I will come to visit you once in a while. In the meantime, I have asked Bankotsu to look after you for me. I hope you don't mind me making decisions for you."

To this, Kagome giggled. "It's for my own good right? I don't mind. Besides, I don't even remember once being able to defy the decisions you made for me."

Silence.

"Is...he a friend of yours?"

"Why do you ask?"

"Just curious."

Sesshoumaru took his time to answer, but when he did, it surprised both Kagome and Bankotsu, who was leaning against the wall next to the door.

"Yes, he is."

The truth was, Bankotsu never thought Sesshoumaru would consider him a friend. Was he accepting him? Just when he moved closer to the door to peek inside, it suddenly opened completely with Sesshoumaru in the opening. "Eavesdropping is not a very nice trait," he frowned as he gazed down at Bankotsu.

Bankotsu merely grinned. "Whatever. You're on your way out right? I'll be seeing you around then."

"Later," Sesshoumaru nodded and proceeded past him to the elevator.

Bankotsu watched him disappear to the lower floors and turned to the door opening behind him. He entered the room and closed the door behind him before making his way towards the bed.

"I heard Sesshoumaru nii-sama laugh earlier, what were you two talking about?" Kagome asked as soon as he stood beside her.

He suppressed a blush. "Nothing special."

"So...you're going to look after me now, aren't you?"

"Y-yeah," he nodded awkwardly.

"Thank you," she smiled.

"No need to thank me," he returned a smile. "Your brother is just too persuasive."

Kagome chuckled. "He is, isn't he? I'm surprised you could bear with him for more than 5 minutes in the hallway. Not many can actually."

He grinned. "His pride is a pain, but once you're able to tackle that, he'll just be like any other normal person."

"Just like you did huh?" she laughed.

"That's right," he laughed along.

"It's so strange," she said after the laughter ended. "This is the first time we actually had a conversation, and yet I feel like I've known you for a very long time...is that...weird?"

"Not at all," he told her with a warm smile. "Because I share the same feeling too."

He was puzzled when the girl suddenly offered him her hand. "My brother didn't really introduce us properly," she explained to him. "I'm Kagome Asahara, and ehm...thanks again for helping me and me brother."

Bankotsu smiled as he took her hand and shook it politely. "My name's Bankotsu Yukimori and you're very welcome Kagome."

"So what do we do now?" she asked as their hands parted.

Bankotsu gazed at the dark starry sky outside the window. "It's pretty late now so talking a walk is out of the question," he reasoned. "Why don't you get some sleep? We'll think of something to do tomorrow when you wake up."

Kagome responded with a rather disappointed expression. "But I'm not sleepy..." she said. "If you've been sleeping for more than 8 months, I bet the last thing you'd want to do is sleep."

"Hmm, then we'll need to think of something else, won't we?" He placed a hand under his chin. Suddenly, he reminded himself of something and turned to Kagome again. "You like history, right?" he asked.

She nodded.

He quickly went to his room next door and came back with a wooden chair in one hand and the scarlet book in his other. "Then how about I read you a tale from the past?" he suggested as he placed the chair next to her bed.

"A tale from the past?" She looked at him rather quizzically, but he swore he could see some sparkles of excitement in her eyes. "Is it nice?" she asked.

He smirked. "You bet!"

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**:  
There! I finally got to update again! I hope you like this chapter, though it's a bit on the short side. Please tell me per review what you think okay? For those who sent in unsigned reviews: thank you all very much for reviewing! I appreciate all your lovely reviews! 

I've got a Finance exam coming Thursday so I'll be doing a lot of studying the coming days. I'll try to update before New Year's Day, if I cannot manage, I will wish you all (in advance) a very nice christmas and a wonderful 2006!

Lots of greets,

Kittymui

_'Italic'_: thoughts  
"...": spoken words   
-.-.-.-: time gap  
-CAPSLOCKED WORDS-: noises

-.-.-.-

**Next FINAL chapter: A forgiven soul**

No spoilers this time :)! Just wait and see!

-.-.-.-

**Vocabulary:**

**nii-sama:** a respectful way to refer to an older brother

-.-.-.-

Posted: 17 December 2005  
Last Edited: 17 December 2005  
Spelling check: YES

**DISCLAIMER: **I do not own Inuyasha or any characters of this story. And I do not own whatever elements of this story that seem familiar and had already been used by other creative individuals before. But... I do own the idea of mixing all of these elements together into a new story, I own the idea for the main plot of this story.


	32. A forgiven soul

**A TALE FROM THE PAST**

-by Kittymui-

**A forgiven soul**

"Thank you."

He glanced down shortly at her raven head and back up to the path again. "What for?" Carefully he rolled the wheelchair over a low doorstep and entered the reception hall of the ground floor.

"For accompanying me during the rehabilitation sesions," she said. "You have already been discharged from the hospital and yet you still remain here to look after me."

"I promised your brother that I would, didn't I?" They moved past two pairs of glass doors that opened before them and entered a fairly large park.

She breathed in a portion of fresh summer air. "So what did I do to earn a lovely walk through the park?"

"You've been staying inside long enough, so I thought some fresh air and sunshine would do you good," he told her as they strolled alongside a row of trees. He looked up at the sky, which was a bit packed with fluffy white clouds. "Too bad the sun's a bit shy today."

"Will you continue the tale telling tonight?" she suddenly asked after a while.

"Tonight?" He blinked in surprise. "But aren't you tired after the rehab session?"

"Me? Tired?" she laughed. "I can even walk a short distance by myself right now!"

"Well if that's the case, I guess I can continue reading tonight," he smiled.

The walking came to an abrupt end as Kagome stopped the wheels with her hands, causing Bankotsu to bump softly against the back of the wheelchair. "What's wrong?" he asked startled.

The raven-haired girl looked over her shoulder to him. "You don't believe me, do you? How about I prove it to you?" she posed. "Put the chair on the brakes and go stand near that tree over there." She pointed at the oak at a distance.

"I do believe you! You really don't need to prove it..." he said but broke off when he saw her determined face. Reluctantly, he did what he was told and went to stand near the appointed tree. "Are you sure about this?"

Without answering, Kagome slowly pushed herself up from her seat. _'I can do this...'_ she told herself inwardly as she set her white shoes on the pebble path.

As he watched her slowly closing in on him, Bankotsu slightly had his knees bent to make sure he would be able to catch her in case she falls. "Be careful!" he yelled to her.

"Don't worry!" she yelled back as she took another careful step.

When she was halfway, the afternoon sun finally broke through the clouds and sent its warm rays down to the park. Although the leafy ceiling above them filtered out most of the light, it created a wonderful sight of transcending lucent beams before him.

That moment, a gentle breeze decided to greet the sun and made the trees dance along with their leaves. A small smile formed on Bankotsu's lips as he watched how the girl in white step-by-step moved towards him. The serious expression on her face and her slow pacing amidst the soft rays of light really made her look like a celestial. Mesmerized by the sight and thought, he realized he could no longer look away from her.

"Whoa!"

The sudden gasp made Bankotsu snap out of it. His heart skipped a bit when he saw that Kagome was starting to lose balance due to a misstep. "Kagome!" he dashed forward and quickly caught her before she hit the pebbles. "Are you okay?" With his hands on her waist and hers on his shoulders, he carefully helped her up again.

"Y-yeah," she replied, recovering from the shock.

He worriedly scanned her from head to toe for possible injuries until she met her chestnut eyes again. Enthralled by the beautiful orbs, he failed to refrain himself from staring into them and for some reasons unknown, she didn't look away either.

Both of them stayed in the same position until a voice caught them off guard.

"Ahum..."

Bankotsu was just about to let go of Kagome, until he suddenly reminded himself that she had not completely recovered yet. With his hands still on her waist, he looked aside to the intruder, only to realize it was Sesshoumaru.

Next to him stood two adults, whose looks were somewhat familiar though he was sure it was the first time they met. _'Their looks...they look very much like...' _he mused inwardly but widened his eyes when realizations struck him.

"Mother! Father!" the girl in his arms cried.

The three adults walked closer to Bankotsu and Kagome and as soon as they came within arm reach, Kagome let go of Bankotsu and hugged the woman who turned out to be her mother.

"Oh Kagome!" the woman sobbed with tears filling her eyes as she hugged her back.

She was a bit taller than Kagome and had the same raven hair knotted neatly at the back of of her head. For a mother of two children, she looked rather youthful, and Bankotsu guessed inwardly that she should be in her fifties by now. Her dark brown office outfit added up to her natural elegance and he couldn't help but wonder if Kagome would look the same when she reached the same age. The mother helped her daughter into her wheelchair as they kept chatting.

His thoughts were cut off when he heard Sesshoumaru speak. "Father, this is the person I told you about earlier."

As Bankotsu looked at the man standing next to Sesshoumaru, he almost instantly realized whom he got his height from. He was taller than Sesshoumaru and they shared the same silvery white hair. Unlike the son, the father had his long hair tied into a high ponytail. With the same goldamber eyes, he had a face that emitted both sternness and gentleness at the same time. "So you're the one who saved our daughter," he spoke with a strong low voice.

"P-pleased to meet your acquaintance, sir," he replied nervously. In his gray suit, he could be taken for a politician, so he thought as he slightly bowed forward. He offered his hand politely as he straightened up again. "My name is Bankotsu Yukimori."

"Just InuTaisho will do young man," he chuckled as he shook his hand firmly. "My son told me everything. Though it was a bit unbelievable at first, but the outcome remains and we are truly in your debt. Is there anything you would want in return?"

Bankotsu stole a short glance at Kagome, who was already strolling several yards away from them with her mother pushing her. When a smile appeared on her features, it sent a strange feeling through his stomach and he suppressed himself from smiling widely. "I'm already freed from my past and I'm glad I was able to free Kagome from hers," he said, turning back to look at InuTaisho. "There's no better reward than seeing her so happy right now."

"Well well, what a fine lad, don't you agree Sesshoumaru?" the man before him smiled. "How about...I allow you to date my daughter?"

Both Sesshoumaru and Bankotsu responded with wide eyes. "S-sir! I really had no intention of..." Bankotsu gasped but faltered when the man burst out in laughter.

"Haha, I was just joking, calm down," laughed InuTaisho as he patted his shoulder. The comforting gesture suddenly reminded him of his parents and he began to wonder how they were doing back at home. _'Now that everything is resolved, I guess I could go back and pay them a visit...'_ he mused inwardly.

"Bankotsu?"

Upon hearing Kagome's voice, he quickly turned away from the men and ran towards her and her mother.. "What is it?" he asked.

"Kagome seems a bit tired, I think she needs some rest," her mother, standing beside her, said.

"I'm not t...ahh..." Kagome argued but failed to suppress a yawn.

"See?" Her mother turned to Bankotsu. "I'm sorry, but can I ask you to look after her for us a little while longer? I wish we could stay a bit longer but we've only arrived this morning and there's a lot of unpacking we need to do."

"No problem, ma'am," he smiled. "I promised Sesshoumaru anyway."

"Thank you so much," she returned a smile and lowered herself to Kagome's height. "We promise we'll come to visit you again as soon as we've finished unpacking," she said and straightened up again.

"Don't worry mother," Kagome told her mother as she glanced at Bankotsu. "I'm in good hands."

"All right," her mother said and stepped away from her. "Again, thank you very much," she said to Bankotsu.

"You're very welcome ma'am," Bankotsu nodded and removed the brakes from the wheelchair. After some goodbyes, Bankotsu and Kagome were strolling over the tiled hospital floor again.

"That was a short walk," Kagome suddenly spoke,

"Sorry about that, your mother's orders were a bit hard to disobey," he apologized. "Next time she comes to visit you, you better have practiced how you can suppress a yawn."

She tossed a look over her shoulder. "You sound like a pro yourself. How about teaching me?"

"They say you yawn because of a temporary lack of oxygen in your brains. Although I'm sure there's a better explanation, I usually just take a deep breath when I feel a yawn coming up and it works most of the time," he told her.

Kagome raised her brows in surprise. "Really? I've never really thought about that. Maybe I should try it as well," she said as she flung some hair over her shoulders. "By the way, what did you guys talk about earlier? I heard my father laughing."

Bankotsu's cheeks flushed almost instantly.

"I hope he didn't say anything embarrassing," she continued. "He's always like that, I hope you don't mind."

"Don't worry. He didn't say anything embarrassing," replied Bankotsu nervously. _'Although it did set me thinking about something...' _

"I'm sorry, what was that?"

He widened his eyes. "N-nothing!" _'Oh man! I'm not that loud of a thinker am I?'_ Puzzled at the thought, he continued to push her through the corridors in silence.

.-.-. more than a month later .-.-.

"Are you sure about this?" he asked worriedly.

"Positive," she answered as she looked at the buildings that reached above the campus walls. "Besides, I can walk perfectly, isn't that enough?"

"Yes, but you've only been discharged from the hospital yesterday, don't you think it's a bit soon for you to attend classes?" he reasoned, gazing at her in her college uniform, which shared the same navy color. But unlike his long-sleeved uniform, hers was more summer-friendly, comprising a short-sleeved blouse and skirt.

"It _is_ a bit hasty," she agreed as she turned to him. "But you're with me right?"

"Only if you promise me that you'll return home when you're not feeling well okay?" he grumbled.

"Promise," she nodded.

As they approached the entrance of the campus, they found two students waiting for them. "Yo Bankotsu!" One of them called while waving. Although a bit tanned by the summer, Bankotsu recognized his friend Suikotsu. Next to him stood Renkotsu, tanned and still as bald as always.

"Hey!" he waved back as he and Kagome stopped before them. "How was your trip to Europe?"

"It was fun until Suikotsu started worrying about you," Renkotsu complained. "But when I asked why, he just didn't want to tell me."

"And obviously, my worrying was unnecessary," smiled Suikotsu as his eyes travelled from Bankotsu to Kagome and back. The presence of the girl caught Renkotsu's attention as well and he eyed his braided friend mischievously. "Where did you pick up such a cutie?" he grinned.

Suikotsu elbowed him in the waist and turned to Kagome. "Never mind him. Glad to have you back miss Kagome," he said, to which she smiled. "Please, call me Kagome."

"Let me introduce you to my friends," Bankotsu kindly interrupted. "This is Suikotsu and Renkotsu. They're from the same class too."

"Nice to meet you," Kagome slightly bowed. "I'm Kagome Asahara."

"Pleasure's all ours," Suikotsu quickly replied, not giving Renkotsu any chance to say anything inappropriate.

"You guys must have a lot to catch up with. I'll be going ahead," she told them and planted a quick kiss on Bankotsu's cheek before leaving their company.

"See you in class," he smiled to her. When he turned to his friends again, he found them staring at him with aghast faces.

"You definitely owe us an explanation!" Renkotsu snapped wide-eyed.

He simply responded with a smirk on his face. "I never intended to keep it a secret, but it is a long story."

"We've got plenty of time." His bare-headed friend turned to Suikotsu. "Don't we, Suikotsu?"

"How about tonight? Renkotsu and I will come over to your place," he suggested.

"I can't tonight," replied Bankotsu. "Kagome's parents invited me to dinner and I promised her that I would go."

His friend almost dropped their chins. "How the hell did you do that!" Renkotsu gasped.

He cocked a brow. "Do what?" It's only dinner."

"Only dinner! How long have you two been dating? A month? Kagura and I have been together for more than half a year now and not once had her or her parents invited me over!" wailed the baldy.

"Then maybe you should consider letting your hair grow again? Maybe she found out she likes you better _with_ hair," laughed Suikotsu. "You know, a woman's mind tend to fluctuate a lot. My sister is a good example."

Bankotsu nodded in agreement. "So how about tomorrow after class? I don't think I have planned anything tomorrow."

"Tomorrow's fine by me," Suikotsu replied. "At your place?"

He nodded. "I'll make sure Jakotsu's there by then as well."

After they all agreed on the date and time, the three of them made their way towards their building.

.-.-.-.

After the classes ended, Bankotsu parted with his two friends and accompanied Kagome to the gates. "I'll head to my student apartment first to change clothes. Why don't you go home by yourself first?" he said to her.

Kagome chuckled in reply. "You silly, you don't even know how to go to my place yet. I'll be your guide today okay?"

"There's no helping it then." He offered her his hand. "Shall we?"

With a smile, she intertwined her hand with his and the two of them started walking away from the campus.

.-.-. some time later .-.-.

"Bankotsu? Are you done?"

"Almost!" He buttoned his gray shirt and quickly slipped into a pair of white trousers before opening the bathroom door. Kagome was sitting on his bed when she turned over her shoulder to him.

"You look great," she commended with one of her lovely smiles.

"Thanks," he smiled back as he took a wooden comb from his drawer and planted himself on the bed next to her. With a quick pull, he untied his long braid, and was about to comb his hair when Kagome suddenly took it out of his hand.

"Here, I'll help you," she said, turning to him.

Bankotsu responded by turning his back to her on the bed. "Thanks."

"By the way, where did you put your book?" she suddenly asked as she took a handful of his silky dark hair and ran the comb over it.

"The book? Oh, I gave it to Sesshoumaru, why?" he replied.

"My brother? Why did you give it to him?" she asked puzzled.

"He said one of his friends wanted to do some research on it."

"I see..."

A moment of silence passed as the combing continued, until Bankotsu suddenly recalled something he had forgotten. "About the tale..." he began. "Do you think the younger brother is at fault for summoning his sister back to the fortress?"

The combing slowly stopped. Kagome put aside the comb and prepared the hair for the braiding. "You mean Inuyasha?"

"Y-yeah," he nodded. "I mean, if you were the princess, would you blame him?"

"Of course not! It would be easy to just blame him for the whole drama, wouldn't it?" she said. "If you ask me, I would never do that. Wanting to meet your long lost sister is not a sin, so there is nothing to forgive."

"Would you...believe me..." he hesitated after a short hush. "...if I told you that you are...I mean...you used to be the Kagome of the tale?"

"Really?" Her voice sounded unimpressed.

Bankotsu immediately interrupted the combing and turned around to her. "But that's not the reason why I helped you...I mean...at first I did, but I..." he stammered. He didn't want her to think that he helped her or cared for her only as a restitution for what he did to her in the past...that he wanted to be with her, because...

His throughts were cut off when something warm landed on his hand. After gazing down, he found Kagome's hand tightly clasped over his. When he lifted his face to her again, he found her eyes, and drowned in the color reminiscent of fine dark wood.

"Kagome...I..." he began, but was cut off with a finger on his lips.

"I knew, from the moment you finished reading the tale, that everything was connected somehow. My sudden coma...the people we know...my family...and you..." she said softly. " But you know what?" A meek smile appeared on her features. "I don't care...I don't care about it at all. So what if we're all linked to each other by our pasts?" She slowly settled her head against his chest. "I like you not because you were my lover in my previous life, but because you are you Bankotsu."

These words sent warmth through Bankotsu's body. Did it matter that it was no coincidence that they met? _'No...'_ he answered inwardly. From the moment he decided to tell Kagome about the tale, he knew he no longer cared about the past. He will never doubt his current feelings for her and that's all that matters. He gazed down at her raven head and lifted her face to him with a finger below her chin. "Me too, Kagome," he told her seriously and sealed her lips with his in a long kiss.

When he finally pulled away and opened his eyes, he realized she was staring wide-eyed at him with reddened cheeks. Obviously, he had startled her. It was their first kiss after all.

"You know," he grinned as he carressed her cheek with the back of his hand. "You're supposed to close your eyes when kissing."

Her face became redder at his remark and she quickly averted her gaze. "Mou! Look what you did!" She pointed at his hair that was half braided and half loosely resting behind him on the bed. "Now I have to start all over again!" She stole a glance at the digital clock on the bedside cabinet and gasped. "Woah! It's four o'clock already! We'll be late if we don't hurry!"

Bankotsu failed to suppress a chuckle and turned his back to her again. By the soft breathing coming from behind him, he knew she was smiling too.

.-.-.that evening .-.-.

After a quiet meal, InuTaisho retreated to his study upstairs and Kagome decided to help her mother with the dishes, leaving Sesshoumaru and Bankotsu on the porch in the backyard. The setting sun created a nice autumn view of the flora before them and both of them enjoyed it in silence.

"How was Kagome today?"

Bankotsu turned away from the scenery to Sesshoumaru, who stood next to him. "Good. Nothing special happened," he replied.

"Really?" he mused without turning to him. "She seemed rather cheerful today so I thought maybe something unusually good happened."

Bankotsu quickly suppressed a blush. "She did?"

"Is that so?" Sesshoumaru raised a brow as he glanced sidelong at him. "Hmph, just remember that if my sister should come home crying, I won't forgive you."

"Don't worry," he smirked. "That day will never come."

"I'll hold you on to that."

"Sure thing."

"By the way, my friend called me, just before you and Kagome arrived."

Bankotsu gave him a puzzled look. "Your friend?"

He turned to him. "The one who wanted to do some research on that peculiar book of yours."

"Ah that one! What did he say?" he asked.

"He told me something strange happened in his lab this afternoon."

"Strange?"

He nodded. "He was doing some research on your book this afternoon and left it on his desk when he left for a meeting at three. But when he came back around four, he found the book...unrecoverably deteriorated."

Bankotsu raised his brows in surprise. "Did they find out who did it?"

Sesshoumaru shook his head. "He said he had locked his lab before leaving," he explained. "Moreoever, the strangest thing was, the deterioration was completely natural. No man's hand could have caused it." His voice held a hint of skepticism as he said that.

"Natural deterioration...in such a short time...?" Bankotsu mused aloud. _'Wait a minute...'_ he suddenly realized. _'Four...around four o'clock...? Wasn't that when Kagome and I were back at my apartment?' _He slowly recalled some bits of their conversation.

_"...if you were the princess, would you blame him?" _

_"...It would be easy to just blame him for the whole drama, wouldn't it?...I would never do that...wanting to meet your long lost sister is not a sin, so there is nothing to forgive.."_

As realization began to sink in, Bankotsu gazed up into the dusk sky and smiled to himself. _'So he finally forgave himself...'_

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**:  
Sorry for letting you wait for the final chapter of this story! I know it took too long, but my muses went away for a while. And since I didn't want to ruin the story with a bad chapter, I decided to wait until my inspiration came back. I hope it was worth waiting! Please let me know okay? 

Nevertheless, I want to thank all of you who have read my story and encouraged me along the way. I appreciate all the reviews that you have sent me, thank you all very much! I never expected to take more than a year to complete this tale, but now it is finally done! Now it is time, as always, to take a break, which will take about a month or two. During this break, I will think about my next story. If you like, you can enlighten me about your preference for pairings via email or review for the coming story, I'll consider the pairing and select a story for it :).

Lots of greets,

Kittymui

_'Italic'_: thoughts  
"...": spoken words  
-.-.-.-: time gap  
-CAPSLOCKED WORDS-: noises

Posted: 17 January 2006  
Last Edited: 17 January 2006  
Spelling check: YES

**DISCLAIMER: **I do not own Inuyasha or any characters of this story. And I do not own whatever elements of this story that seem familiar and had already been used by other creative individuals before. But... I do own the idea of mixing all of these elements together into a new story, I own the idea for the main plot of this story.


End file.
